Violent Delights, Violent Ends
by xoeternalflamexo
Summary: Love was not in the job description. Aspiring lawyer striving to follow her father's footsteps, Sydney Sage must take up her first case & is swept into the life of Adrian Ivashkov. When Adrian is framed for a murder he did not commit, Sydney must risk everything she believes in, including her job, to help him seek justice and solve the puzzle that changes her life. (AU/AH) Sydrian.
1. Prologue

**A/N: This is just the prologue, so it's separate from the rest of the story &amp; is the only part that isn't told from Sydney's POV. So I hope you get the gist of the story. It's going to be romance and a little murder mystery that brings our protagonists (Sydrian) together.  
It starts off a little slow but I promise it gets better if you read on!**

**P.S- Shortest prologue ever, I know.**

**{This is an AH+AU story.}**

**Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own these amazing characters &amp; all rights go to Richelle Mead, with whom I have no affiliation with whatsoever.**

**ENJOY! PLEASE READ ON AND LEAVE REVIEWS :D****  
**  
PROLOGUE 

_"Goodnight, my love"_

_"The tired old moon descending. Goodnight, my love.  
My moment with you is now ending."_

There were voices, but they were almost completely drained out by the sound of the music. The old and raggedy record player screeched.  
This was not the kind of music he listened to, and he never used that rusty, ram shackled record player.

The housekeeper decided to go check on her employer, he was probably drunk again. Thinking of an ex flame and drowning his sorrows in music that was beyond his comprehension as usual. She started to make her way up the spiral stairway, the mansion was gloomy and dark at this time of the day, the first of the day's light was yet to make its emergence.

There was a sudden foul smell—attacking her nostrils and leaving her perplexed.  
She took a few cautious steps towards the room to regard for the stench.

Her screams must've echoed all throughout the mansion, perhaps even further.  
Stepping into the room had been a mistake; she could feel its icy gesture as the air adjusted around her. It was sprawled on the ground and covered in crimson.

Its face was disfigured, whoever this man had once been, was now reduced to a pulp.  
There was too much blood. How could there be so much blood from one body?  
Before she could form another singular thought, she came to the realization that the source of the music had also been from that very room.

A record was playing on the table a few steps away from the corpse.  
The housekeeper shuddered as she managed to catch the eerie yet mesmerizing tune of Dean Martin's voice.  
_  
"The stars above have promised to meet us tomorrow.  
'Til then my love, how dreary the new day seem.  
So for the present dear we'll have to part."  
_


	2. 1: Man In Black

**A/N: This is my first fanfiction ever, so I hope you give it a fair chance and keep on reading! I'll be updating chapters as soon as I possibly can. Don't be afraid to provide/ point out some errors, constructive criticism, ideas or input now and then (as long as you aren't rude!) it'll aid the story. I fell in love with Adrian Ivashkov all the way back in VA, so I'm excited about this.**

**I'd like to mention that there won't be any full-blown sex scenes, but its going to be rated M because of the occasional language. Also I'd like you guys to note that this story has 2 plots. The A plot, and the B plot. The A plot here &amp; my primary focus is Sydrian, then comes the B plot which is a crime. So, if the B plot isn't too good, I hope that doesn't discourage you to read on, because I've tried my best.**

**P.S I was lazy to read up too much &amp; so I'm not too good with the details of Law since I haven't ever studied Law before, so I'm sure some 'facts about law' may be wrong, so in the case this occurs which it mostly will, I hope you'll overlook it :)**

**P.P.S First 3-4 chapters will be a little short, so bare with me.**

**Enjoy! Please review/comment/fave :D  
**

**Violent Delights, Violent Ends.**

CHAPTER ONE

Man In Black

I tapped my pencil absentmindedly on my notepad, trying to drown out the deflecting chattering enunciated by my peers. I'd learnt to be patient all my life; it was one of my virtues. But for once, it was proving extremely difficult to maintain my restiveness.

I was sitting in the campus's cafe and studying up on some last minute work.  
"Sydney,"  
I sprang up from my seat so fast that I almost spilt my coffee all over my teacher. Donna Stanton stood in front of me. She was the head of department at the UCLA School of Law and wore a tight smile over her perfunctorily applied red lipstick.

I could never tell what mood she was in, but at least she wasn't wearing her standard scowl. That was a good sign. I bit my lip, eyeing her eagerly.  
"Yes, ma'am?"

"I have an assignment for you." She pronounced, sceptically staring me down.  
Whenever Donna looked at me, I felt like I was being observed a little too keenly—sometimes I wondered if she had x-ray vision or something.  
Then the full elucidation of her words hit me. I tried to suppress my smile for the sake of looking professional and less giddy.

I was going to be assigned my first ever case!  
Finally, the years of hard work, endless coffee runs and all-nighters had paid off.  
I was going to get my first real assignment. This was the real deal.  
This was a step ahead to the future I desired, and hopefully...This would be enough for my father to acknowledge my work and regard me like a daughter instead of a project.

Donna fixed me with another complacent smile.

"Don't get too excited, you have earned it, yes. You are one of our brightest students. But this is a serious case, one which we do not take lightly, Sydney. The man who has hired you is willing to pay big bucks once you plead his case."

I nodded vigorously, steadying my posture and hoping I looked more confident than I felt. Sure, I'd waited for this moment for practically all my life, but I hadn't regarded the freightage of pressure that I would be exerted to due to it.  
Donna started to walk, and I followed her aimlessly. Grabbing my notepad and pencil in a haste and staggering to follow her.

"I'm going to introduce you to our client. Try to keep up."

Through the glass doors of the administrator's building, we walked into an air conditioned office where my first client would be awaiting. Donna pushed through the double doors and put on the most genteel smile I'd ever seen her subject herself to.

She almost looked foreign. The office had huge glass windows to either side, and a large wooden worktable right in the middle.  
Four chairs also spread out on both sides of the table.

Across from where Donna had just taken a seat, an austere looking man sat with a poker face. He was pale and had a long face complete with a dour look and silver hair. He wore a black tailored suit that made him look like an archetype of your average Forbes magazine cover guy. The man scrutinized me, and I tried not to quiver under his leer.  
I didn't like being put under the microscope, and I didn't appreciate being trapped in a room with two stringent people.

"She's young," The man alleged unpleasantly,  
there was something very foreboding about his voice.

"Ah, yes. But I assure you, Mr. Ivashkov. Miss Sydney Sage is one of our most gifted and responsible students at UCLA. She's a role model for several others, and has passed all her exams with dignified accountability. We would provide you with only the best of the best." Donna said tightly, while simultaneously signalling me to take a seat.

I'd realized that my confidence had been wavering since I'd stepped into the room, and I was still standing still as a rock. Finally, I managed to take a seat, trying to avoid Mr. Ivashkov's perusal.

"Very well." He muttered, finally averting his gaze.  
"Sydney, this is Mr. Nathan Ivashkov of the Ivashkov Industries. He is one of our most formidable clients."

I finally took a deep breath, and met his eyes, putting on a facade of credence that I hoped looked legit. I smiled at him,

"Nice to meet you, sir."  
He smiled back, but it still seemed forlorn.  
"Miss Sage, my son has got himself into a little bit of a tribulation. He, ah, tends to be a little irresponsible and such. Despite his incompetence, I know for a fact that my son is not a murderer. However, it seems that someone has worked very hard to make it look like he is. This is a disgrace to my name and if word spreads any faster, people will start to debate their trust in my company. Do you understand where you come in?"

My breath hitched and a huge lump formed in my throat. I had to reassure myself that this is what I had signed up for, I knew going into law school that I'd have to face preposterous cases.

Still, I'd been silently hoping for a case a little less complex for my first time, perhaps a nice little burglary or mugging.

But no, I had to deal with a millionaire's son and a murder. Splendid. I nodded in spite of myself, a little taken aback of how calm I was managing to seem.

"Yes, Sir. I do." I replied,  
Mr. Ivashkov looked almost impressed by my manners.  
"The details of the case are in these files," He explained, handing me a stack of thick papers.

"I have bargained him exactly a month before the trial."  
I took the files from him, hoping my hand wasn't shaking too much.

"I would like for you to speak to my son himself before you start to take up his case, just for pleasantries. The ignoramus boy wants to take the case into his own hands.  
I tried to get it through his thick head that he should let the professionals handle this, but he's too stubborn for it. So, I apologize in advance for his lack of etiquettes."

I didn't have any sympathy for a millionaire's boy who had been avowed for murder, but I couldn't help but cringe at the venom in his words. I just didn't understand how a man could talk so disapprovingly about his own child. Well, maybe I should have, considering my own father wasn't a far cry from this man. Again, I dissimulated my uneasiness and nodded.

"I understand, sir."

After the nauseating meeting with Nathan Ivashkov, Donna approached me.  
Mr. Ivashkov had left, and I was just about to bolt too,  
I needed a coffee fix pronto—But Donna didn't seem to acknowledge my need for caffeine.

"Sydney, you are going to have to make a road trip to Palm Springs to meet his son tomorrow itself. Nathan may have hired you, but his son is your target client. If you can get some information out of him, then we will be making some progress."

I wanted to protest, I didn't want to go and I certainly wasn't looked forward to meeting Nathan Ivashkov's son. I shuddered as I pictured that hard-nosed man's prodigy.  
Still, I had to realize that this was my job, and whether I liked it or not, I was going to have to comply on several unforeseen situations such as this one. I nodded grimly,

"Of course. I'll head out tomorrow morning."  
Donna looked satisfied, but I still couldn't tell.

"Good, that will be all."

I started to walk away, glad to have found an excuse to leave, before turning back to look at her for a second.  
"Donna, do you believe Mr. Ivashkov? Do you think his son was framed, or is there a possibility that he's guilty?" I asked,  
although I was pretty sure I knew the answer myself.

"Justice in the life of Conduct of the state is what we aim for. Unfortunately, justice isn't always easy. To answer your question, no, I do not know. Go with your gut, Sydney. You will do well, I'm sure of it."

This was probably the first time ever that Donna had showered me with outright praise.  
I smiled a little proudly,

"Compromise is the best lawyer."

The next morning, while driving to Palm Springs to meet Adrian Ivashkov, Nathan's son, I couldn't help but feel anxious. I had been browsing through the contents of my awaiting case all night and wasn't too pleased with the outcome.  
Adrian had been accused of murdering one of his own friends, Lee Donohue.  
The kid who'd been killed was also the son of a well-reputed man who just happened to be the head chairman of a rival company to Ivashkov Industries.

I wondered if there was a connection there.

Adrian had about a month left before his trial where I had to plead his case.  
If he was charged with murder and proved guilty, he would be seeing countless years in jail and in the worst case scenario could even be sentenced to death considering Lee Donohue was from a powerful family.  
I sighed as my phone suddenly buzzed, and I impelled my reeling thoughts away.

It was a message from Donna,

Hello, Sydney. I will be sending you backup. Keith Darnell will be your partner if you need any assistance. He will also be assessing your case.

I groaned loudly, by assessing I was pretty sure Donna indirectly meant watching my every move and making sure I didn't cost them their money.

Keith Darnell was a misogynistic snob, I should know. He used to go out with my sister, and then the bastard had sexually assaulted her. I didn't like to swear, but this man deserved all the profanities in the world. I would never forgive the guy for what he'd done, but according to my jurisdictions, Keith could do no wrong.

He was the apple of their eyes, the poster child for purity and competence.

While in reality, the guy was anything but that. And unfortunately, the dislike was mutual. This meant Keith would do everything humanly possible to overthrow me and prove me wrong, this made my case primarily important.

I couldn't falter, I couldn't bend and I surely couldn't let Keith get to me.

About an hour and a half later, I'd reached Palm Springs. I parked into the driveway of a cramped up little modern style stucco building. According to the address that I had been given, this was where the infamous Adrian Ivashkov lived.  
After I parked my brown Sabaru, Latte, I headed towards the building.

I stuffed the files I'd brought along with me for reference in a small grey bag that matched my chequered plaid skirt and my white blouse. After climbing a set of stairs I found the apartment I was looking for and knocked on the door.

I took a deep breath and stared at the wooden door, wondering what I was about to get myself into. 


	3. 2: Wrong Place, Wrong Time

**A/N: Posting earlier in the hopes of maybe getting a few more reviews! This chapter has got a lot of exposition, but it's just so you can get a gist of the crime and the premise the story's based on. It gets better I PROMISE.**

**Pleaseee review, fave and follow, you won't regret it!**

**P.S Thankyou so much to my first and only reviewer (*sigh*), spaztronaut. What you said was noted! I just noticed that &amp; you're right! I've got to work on the phrasing.  
Writing from a super smart girl's POV is a little difficult but I'm getting the hang of it (hopefully!)**

**Anyway… On to chapter 2! ENJOY :D**

CHAPTER TWO

Wrong Place, Wrong Time

I was a little pleasantly surprised that the son of a Millionaire was being contrived to live in a small apartment at the farther side of town instead of upkeep in a gigantic mansion trying to make a big statement. The fuzzy notion was short-lived, I frowned at the noise jarring from the apartment, it sounded like loud rock music but it was making my ears bleed.

This wasn't music, this was meaningless sounds. I knocked again since nobody came to get the door, and I wasn't surprised.

How could they hear me knock over that screeching sound they passed on for music?

Finally, the music abated a little and someone answered the door. It was a girl with ginger red hair and olive skin, she was wearing something that resembled a bikini, but I wasn't sure. She was probably in her early twenties. She looked like a hooker.

I cleared my throat but she spoke before I could.

"Why are you wearing so many clothes?" The girl muttered,  
"It's like a bazillion degrees out here."

I couldn't stop my eyes from rolling,

"Its ninety-four degrees to be precise, true. But…You're overemphasizing the weather. Also, I'm wearing cotton, and it being a good absorber of water helps in absorbing the heat and the sweat exposing to the atmosphere for easy evaporation."

It was obvious why cotton clothes worked so well in the summer, and I thought I'd provided her with some viable information until I saw the incredulous expression on the girl's face.  
I bit my lip and covered up for it as quickly as I could,

"Um, is Adrian Ivashkov here?"

The expression wavered,  
"Uh...No? Jet, some formally dressed girl is at your door! She's asking for an Adrian."  
The girl called out, and nodded at a response that was barely audible to me.

_Did she just call the guy Jet? Was I at the wrong house?  
_  
"He says come in."

I loured at the girl and walked in to the living room. I tried not to glare; but it was practically impossible not to—this place looked devoid of personal hygiene and housekeeping.  
It's like I'd been transported to a horrific world without detergent.

The ill smell of cigarette smoke and junk food hung in the room.  
I tried to keep myself from cringing at the place that looked more like a waste land than a living room. There were piles of laundry littering the floor, packets of various junkfoods and half empty pizza boxes, in juxtaposition to the empty beer bottles and the colourful selection of women's bras lying around.

There was a couch where two blonde girls were painting each other's nails and some sort of game board was sprawled out on the carpet. I squinted to read the words, _Twister_.  
Stepping around everything, I finally caught sight of the guy I assumed was Adrian Ivashkov.

He lay on his back on the couch opposite to the one the girls were on, he wore a blue button up shirt but all the buttons were undone. This revealed his rather impressive abs and hairless chest that even I couldn't help but find attractive.

He wore jeans underneath that and had his bare feet up on the couch, his brown hair were made to look like they were purposely messed up.  
And his face had some pretty impressionable features. He was cute, good looking even.

Despite the way he was dressed, he didn't look savage, in fact, he still looked like a male model.

Definitely not the dreaded mini Nathan Ivashkov I'd half expected to encounter.

I quickly cleared my throat again, and the redhead walked over to the blondes who were also in skimpily clad clothes. Adrian finally saw me, and jumped off of the couch; I couldn't help but admire the guy's eyes.

The emerald green colour was a rare one.

Music still blasted vociferously from a giant speaker at the end of the room, a blue electric guitar was perched to the side of it.

"Can you please stop this noise?"  
I questioned loudly, unsure if he could even hear me.

"It's not noise, its music." Adrian supplied,

I groaned. "I know music. Music has notes. This is noise."

Thankfully, he complied and switched off the god awful screeching beats that had encroached the room.

Adrian gave me an once-over,  
"Who are you?"

"I'm your lawyer!" I exclaimed, "And I would highly appreciate it if you could...Become more presentable and speak to me then, I have been hired by your father to help you plead your case. But you're going to have to be serious about it."

I realized that irresponsible was an understatement, this guy was about to get sentenced for murder and here he was partying away. Hadn't his father mentioned that he wanted to take the case into his own hands? From the looks of it, he was doing the very opposite.  
I didn't want to help someone who didn't want to be saved. Adrian's green eyes widened once he'd fully processed my words. He turned towards the girls,

"Ladies, I'm afraid you'll have to let yourselves out. Plaid Skirt and I have some important stuff to discuss."

I tried to veil a scowl that was coming on. _Did he just address me as 'Plaid Skirt'?_

The girls nodded and giggled lightly, they grabbed their clothes and left. If one could call them clothes. I didn't see how extremely small shorts and crop tops were appropriate clothing. The redhead gave Adrian a slobbery smooch on the lips before following the other two girls out and my inner scowl only deepened.

"What's with the hookers?" I asked,  
Adrian smiled at this, his smile was dazzling.  
"They prefer the term Escorts."

I rolled my eyes, "Right. Listen, I've come a long way, and I wanted to talk to you about the murder that you have been convicted for. Now, I, uh...I've been going through the files of the case, but there's still some connections I haven't been able to make. Since you were physically present during this ordeal, I'm going to need you to tie up some loose ends for me."

I couldn't help but stagger while talking to him. Maybe his good looks worked with thickheaded girls, but the jury would put him in jail no matter how pretty he was.  
Sure, there was a chance that he didn't actually commit the crime, but if he did...

I shuddered. In that case I was standing in a room, alone, with a murderer…  
No, I couldn't jump to conclusions. Not yet.

Adrian's smile vanished, replaced with a lour.  
He took a deep breath and much to my relief, started to do his buttons  
(his abs were _awfully_ distracting).

When he was done with his shirt, he swiped some trash off of his couch and gestured for me to sit,

"Do you want something to, ah, drink?" He started to walk towards his fridge and began rummaging through it, "I've got...Okay, and I'm out of water. The milk's old. Um, I've got beer...and some Dr. Pepper?" He offered.

I shook my head, wincing at the thought of all the calories that Dr. Pepper contained.  
"No, thank you."  
I sat down on his couch, keeping my hips from touching the gross half eaten and soggy packet of Oreos sitting next to me.  
Adrian shrugged and made his way back, sitting across from me on the couch. He pushed the Oreo packet off of it. Despite how nasty his room smelt, the whiff of deodorant or expensive perfume that he used on himself smelt very good.  
He ran a hand through his soft brown hair and turned to look at me,

"What's your name?"  
"Sydney Sage"  
"Aren't you a little young to be a lawyer?"  
"Aren't you a little young to be a murderer?"

Adrian grinned at my retort, ostensibly not taking it too hard,  
"Touché."

"So let's get down to business, shall we? Ask away."  
He said, making a dramatic hand gesture while at it.  
I found Adrian's lack of fidelity to his own case implausible but I went along with it anyway.

"Yes," I began, pulling out the several files I had on the murder that had been provided by Ivashkov Senior, it had all the details one needed to either prove Adrian innocent, or substantiate that he was guilty. "So these files suggest that the deceased was a good friend of yours?" I questioned.

Adrian's entire semblance wavered, he dropped his gaze. As if he suddenly found the design of his carpet very interesting, he wouldn't meet my eyes. "Yeah, man. He was a cool guy. We used to hang out all the time. But of course, our friendship isn't enough for the authorities to buy that I'm innocent."

"That is correct. It's because the most common murders are committed by people who were the closest to the victim. This demonstrates motive." I stated very matter-of-factly.  
Adrian didn't respond to this, he just kept staring down at the ground.

I took a deep breath and went on,

"The murder was committed in your old house inside of a guest room where you and your band allegedly practiced regularly. His skull was repeatedly bashed in his head to the point where his face is now barely distinguishable. He had a lot of black and blues on other areas of his body as well, but most damage was on the facial area. Now, the thing that gets me every time I go through this is that you were at home when this event occurred? Also, you were evidently the only one in the house at the time." I paused for a breath before going on,

"Those, along with a lot of other aspects of the tragedy, make it very difficult to defend you, Mr. Ivashkov."

Adrian looked up at me with a look that was both fierce and intimidating,

"I know that! Alright, I _know_ how bad it looks. But if I'd really been the murderer, you'd think I would've covered up my tracks a little better. I mean, you've gotta give me some credit here, Sage. I'm not brainless. And anyone who would murder a guy, leaving all that evidence to contradict him just lying around is extremely stupid. Isn't it obvious that someone went to great lengths to prove me guilty?"

That, was a statement that I just couldn't deny. There was vehemence in his voice, and I could just feel it in my bones that there was truth laced to the sentence.  
Still, I had to be professional about this; I couldn't let him off the hook just yet.

"I see your point, Mr. Ivashkov, and it is a valid one at that.  
But I can't ignore the evidence, now, can I? The report says that your friend Lee was killed at around 7.03 pm in the evening. I'd like to know what exactly it was that you were doing at this time. According to your earlier statement, you mentioned speaking on the phone to someone but there was nobody supporting this evidence? They also mentioned you being under the influence of alcohol, which adds to making you look plenty guilty."

Adrian groaned, "I wasn't talking on the phone. I—I was leaving a message on my ex girlfriend's cell, alright? And yeah, I'd been drinking all day...So I was a little out of it at the time. Which explains my fuzzy memory of the whole thing, and the reason I didn't hear someone beating my friend into a pulp? I'm a sound sleeper. You should read up a little bit on how horribly out of it a person becomes when they're excessively drunk."

I nodded again, taking his information in. It was proving harder and harder for me to find this guy guilty. He was a little haughty, and irresponsible, sure.  
But I just didn't see him being capable of such a high strung murder.

"I see. But your phone message...It was never received?"

Adrian nodded,  
"When I say a little out of it, I mean a lot, okay? I was drunk...very drunk. The phone fell out of my hand mid-message and I guess I nodded off after that. I woke up that morning around 5 am to the sound of my housekeeper shrieking and my friend's rotting dead body laid out for me. That was a suckfest, but I didn't kill Lee."

"Yes. The police questioned your housekeeper too, and her alibi was that she was reporting for duty and on a regular sweep of the house when she found the body. This, and a few other details that I won't get into, prove her innocent. That leaves you as the only suspect on this case at the current time."

Adrian frowned, "What about the murder weapon?"  
I nodded, "Also, the murder weapon wasn't identified. It could have ranged from a baseball bat to a large stick to any other object along those lines."

Adrian took a deep breath, and turned to look at me again. "I didn't kill Lee for god's sake. But the police didn't believe me, why would you? Come on, Sage, out me for the friend-killing, monster that I am."

His sarcasm was palpable.  
But there was also a hint of some real emotion hidden under it all.

This sounded like the classic case of bad luck, leading to him being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him.  
I took a deep breath, contemplating what to do next.

"Look at me. Look me in the eyes and tell me, do I look like I'm capable of killing somebody?"

His words left me a little flustered; I wasn't sure what to do. Finally, I did as told, leering at his green, green eyes. I tried to snap myself out of those hypnotizing eyes.

"No, but who does? It's not like people walk around with a sign that reads 'I'm a murderer'."  
I muttered, but even I knew I sounded unconvincing.

The truth was, I believed him, not because of his angelic face or his beautiful eyes, but because I had a knack for liars.

And this didn't sound like a made-up story, also, it presented sense.  
This guy was obviously smart enough to have at least attempted to cover his tracks if he actually had committed the homicide.  
All signs pointed to a set-up.

"Great. Alright, thanks a lot for your help, 'Thou Great Lawyer! I'll send you a postcard from jail. Chow."

Adrian mumbled, immediately turning away from me and burying his head in his hands.  
I took a deep breath before speaking, astonished at how quickly he was giving up. If I had been framed for a murder, I wouldn't put all my hope in a lawyer. I would be out scouring the details, trying to find a loophole in the system to support my innocuousness.

This guy was instead raising both his hands up in surrender and heading into self-destruct mode. I decided that I would help him, this was my first case and I was going to make it worthwhile.

"Mr. Ivashkov, I...I believe you. And I also surmise that you are speaking the truth. But you are going to have to cooperate with me, someone's obviously tried their level best to incorporate you as the guilty party here, and they've succeeded. I have a few more questions for you and then I'm all yours." I bit my lip at the last sentence,

"Er. I—I, uh, I mean that figuratively. As in, my services are all yours."

I flinched; it was funny how the earth never opened up and swallowed me whole when I wanted it to.

Adrian looked up at me again, this time, with wonder. He was absolutely floored, and I tried not to come off as too friendly.

I cleared my throat.

"Glad you decided to give this misjudged man a chance,"  
He mocked in a voice that was overly dramatic.

"And call me Adrian, please. Mr. Ivashkov's my dad."

After pursuing him for a little longer, poking and prodding at every loophole to convince me of his innocence, I began to leave.

"Wait up, Sage!" He exclaimed,  
I turned around and tilted my head at him.

"Yes?"

"I…I wasn't kidding when I said I was taking this case into my own hands. I'm about to hit my old mansion and do a double check on the crime scene."

I couldn't help but be a tad amused.  
I arched an eyebrow at him,  
"And you think that _you_ can find something the police didn't?"

He nodded smugly, "Let's just say I've got the eye of an artist."

I wanted to point out that there was a lot more to a crime scene, but his proposal intrigued me. If I was requiste to work alongside him, I might as well get a taste of it.

"How do you propose we get in without being caught?"

"My dad's still a billionaire, Sage. He can pull some strings."

I shook my head, of course, the affluent always dominated.  
You could be an alleged killer and still be able to tip off the force to do as you pleased.

I had known Adrian Ivashkov for an hour and I was already going about doing irrational things.

I sighed and grabbed my keys, "Lead the way." 


	4. 3: The Catastrophic Nature of Humans

**A/N: Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who reviewed. It means so much to me to know that there are readers out there.  
Please note I'm working on the phrasing &amp; your comments have been duly noted.**

**Also, I ****really, really hate this site's story formatting. I use Microsoft Word 2007. For some reason, they never seem to maintain the line breaks and spaces I want so, as a result, a lot of the words may appear jumbled and dumb. I apologize to my readers, but it's beyond my control. ******

**Disclaimer: STILL don't own any of these wonderful characters. (*sob*)**

CHAPTER THREE

The Catastrophic Nature of Human Behaviour

I drove us to the site of the crime as per Adrian's directions.  
And of course, his mansion was everything I'd expected it to be.  
Ornate, symbolic, and so large that you could get lost in it's many never-ending hallways.

Adrian's mood instantly dropped, his facial expression unreadable as we walked past the yellow tapes surrounding the room where the whole fiasco had occurred.  
I wasn't sure how to feel about it all myself. I hadn't ever been on the site of a crime before.

In numerous novels that I'd read, they'd often described these crime scenes to have an omnious feel to them. The protagonist usually felt a sudden drop in temparature, a gust of eerie wind, or heard taunting whispers.

Now that I was actually standing in a real life one,  
all I could feel was sad.

A cloud of melochony seemed to loom over the room.  
I had a sour taste in my mouth as I regarded the rest of the primisis.  
It was a closed deal, police offers, a posse of journalists and a crime scene investigator had probably been here just a few hours ago.  
I walked just slightly further into the room, and wrapped my arms around myself.

Adrian had gone venturing into every corner of the empty guest room.

"Adrian! Put everything right back where you found it. One misplaced item and we're done for. We can't tamper with a crime scene. Do you understand?"

I was afraid that he was only half listening to what I had to say.  
All I earned was a quiet nod from him.

Since I'd only managed to muster one pair of gloves,  
I'd let Adrian do the investigating, but I was now starting to think that had been poor judgement on my part. He was clearly letting his emotions overpower him.

"This must be it!" He suddenly exclaimed, in the midst of scurging through some cabinet.  
"What is it?"

Adrian smirked at me, then shut the cabinet very carefully, put whatever he had to back in place and made his way over to me.

"I think I actually found a clue."

That night, I was writing my initial report about the case for Donna, who had requested me to give her written details as the case progressed. I didn't want to sound like I was sympathising too much, so I wrote it with as much professionalism as I could muster.  
I decided to leave our newfound lead out of it, though.

My phone buzzed once more, and I smiled slightly at the caller. It was Brayden Cartwright, my boyfriend. I picked up the phone, excited to finally hear from him.

"Hey Brayden" I spoke into the speaker; a voice not half as cheery as mine regarded me on the other end of the line.

"Sydney, I heard you left LA on a case."

"Yes, I'm so sorry that I forgot to mention it when we spoke last night, but you were going on and on about how your cultural debate went, and I didn't want to ruin your good mood."  
I explained, hoping that he wasn't upset.

"So you were only pretending to care about what I had to say?"  
I shook my head, where was he getting all these ideas?

"No, In fact, I loved listening about how your debate went. A world with a single culture and its possibilities—it's such a refreshing topic."  
I was being genuine; I just wished he'd understand that.

"I...I know. I'm sorry for sounding so clamorous. Congratulations on your first case!"  
Despite the happy notion, Brayden's voice sounded anything but enthusiastic.

"I'll be back as soon as possible, Brayden. This is a really important case, so it might take me a little bit. But I promise to make it up to you when I see you again."

This cheered him up just a little; we talked for about an hour and a half after that.  
We covered a lot of intriguing topics like the efficiency of fuel, the importance of microphysics and even had a heated debate on where the Anglo-American culture first resonated from. And that was all great, but by the time we cut the call my heart just wasn't in it anymore and I couldn't put a finger on why.

Maybe it was Brayden's utter deficiency of enthusiam for me, I mean; I thought he'd be happy for me. I'd only gushed about getting my first real case assigned to me on several occasions to him. And he just seemed, well...unfazed, upset, even.

I sighed, if there was one thing in the world that I'd never come to terms with, it would be human nature. I just didn't get people.  
I sighed and decided to trade the unpleasant thoughts for a good's night sleep.

The next morning I got ready as quickly as I possibly could, the hotel I had obtained wasn't cheap thus certainly had its perks, but I had a lot to do and unfortunately wasn't going to be able to enjoy the Plaza hotel's luxury offers.

After a quick shower and a blow dry, I headed to the parking lot.

Adrian and I had spoken about quite a few things yesterday and he'd even offered me a place to stay, of course I chose the viable option of a hotel that was only a two minute drive from Adrian's apartment. He'd begged that he wanted more of a part in this; he had decided that he was going to actively help me in his case.

At first I'd refused, but then I'd remembered that I probably would've done the same thing if I'd been in his position so I let him on board. Also, he had made an interesting discovery.

I had advised Adrian that the first thing we could do to find a way to prove him innocent was to take a close look at all the people in Lee's life who had a motive that was stronger than Adrian's and make a note of the all the suspects.  
Unfortunately, things were still looking quite bleak for Adrian. He and Lee had gotten into a number of brawls a few days before his death, Adrian claimed it was because Lee wanted to be a part of his band and they'd told him he couldn't join.

Adrian had explained how Lee had showed up at his door the day before he'd died and threatened him and his crew.  
Apparently, he'd told Adrian that he would 'ruin them for what they'd done'; of course, this only prepended the idea of him being the culprit. So the first thing that was on my to-do list was track down a few people who knew Lee on a daily basis.  
After spending an hour or two on the people I could probably associate with the murder, I came up with a pretty solid list. Fortunately for us, Lee didn't seem to be a social butterfly, he had only a few close friends that I figured wouldn't be too hard to find and interrogate.

I called up Adrian after I was done; I'd been sipping on coffee at one of the bistros in his neighbourhood.

"You've reached Adrian Ivashkov. Take a moment to thank your lucky stars and I'll get back to you."

An overly perky voice remarked on the other end of the line. I scoffed at the voice message, clearly Adrian was busy.

_And for him, busy probably means partying it up or making out on the couch with a girl._

I groaned when the phone beeped and I spoke up despite myself,  
"Adrian. It's Sydney; I've got a few leads so just...call me back as soon as you get this.  
We need to check them out ASAP." I cut the call after that.  
I sighed, picking up all my files and taking one last languid sip of my coffee.  
I realized that I had some time to kill.

That was so rare for me I couldn't help but be a little perplexed.

Adrian had practically begged me not to take action on any leads I found without consulting him, and I'd complied. After all, I was a lawyer, not a detective.  
And even lawyers got their time-offs.  
Before I could constitute a solid measure on what to do next, my phone buzzed.  
I answered it almost instantly, not bothering to check the caller ID.

"Adrian, thank god." I said, assuming it was him. The voice on the other end of the line regarded the sentence in a rather bemused way,

"Sydney, are you cheating on Bray-Bray?"

I rolled my eyes skyward. It wasn't Adrian afterall, I checked the caller ID just to be sure, and it was my friend, Julia Cavendish.  
She was one of the first people to be outwardly nice to me back when I'd first joined law school, after I'd helped save her best friend, Kristen's life in a freak accident—we'd become even closer friends.

"For the hundredth time, Julia. His name is Brayden. Anyway, no, I'm not. I'm sorry; I thought you were my client, Adrian Ivashkov."  
I almost pulled my ear off along with my phone due to the shrieking that followed.  
When her squealing subsided, Julia giggled,

"You have got to be KIDDING me! Your first case as a full fledged lawyer and you get to work for Adrian freaking Ivashkov! You are so lucky! I'm jealous."

I frowned, I was baffled. And I didn't like not knowing things.  
"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Oh, Sydney, Sydney. Law school whiz, brainy math geek who's good at everything but clueless when it comes to anything that's remotely part of the twenty-first century."

Julia's voice sounded unshaken and animated.  
I was about to protest for the sake of my being, but she spoke up again.

"Listen. I happen to be in Palm Springs since I'm here to meet my Aunt and it's been total bore. You want to meet me for a bit? We could go shopping and you could tell me all about Adrian Ivashkov." I turned to look at the giant clock that hung in front of me, courtesy of Marlene's Cafe. I sighed.  
This would keep me busy for a little while, and it would be nice to meet someone who wasn't related to my work for a little while. Julia was a good friend who I hadn't seen in quite some time now. Also, I could pick up a few pairs of much needed formal ensembles from the mall.

I finally established that a quick rendezvous with a friend and an opportunity to bag some new outfits out of it couldn't hurt.

"Alright, but I don't have much time. When do you want me to pick you up?"  
I had to plan my schedule accordingly.

Julia didn't hesitate, "Uh, like...Now?"

I sighed, maybe I could meet her while waiting for Adrian to call me back, and if he happened to reciprocate while I was with Julia, we could catch up from there.  
Also, Julia could fulfil her weird fantasy of meeting the guy. Which still puzzled me,  
_what was with Adrian Ivashkov and girls?  
_  
"I'll be there in fifteen. Message me the address."

"Does this dress make me look fat?" Julia stepped out of the changing room and twirled around in a tacky and almost blinding yellow sundress.  
There was nothing about that outfit that I particularly liked, but I didn't want to sound rude. And frankly, Julia looked appealing in almost anything she put on. Her blonde hair, tan skin and perfect figure made sure of that.

She had that preppy look going for her. I looked up from the Economic Times newspaper I'd been scanning and smiled at her.  
"You look great and you're not fat."  
Julia grinned at the compliment, bobbing her head around like a school girl and then heading back into the dressing room. I sighed; my plan was to get some productive formal wear and a nice chat with an old friend out of this.

Instead, I was apparently stuck as Julia's self esteem booster.

"You know, you're not fat either. So you really should come and grab dessert with me and Jordan after this. You can't say no to chocolate truffles!"  
She mumbled from inside the cubicle.  
I shook my head, neatly folding the newspaper and putting it back in its place on the magazine stand.

"I don't think so. I still have to work on this case, you know. I'll be taking off in another half hour. If Adrian won't return my calls, I'll just have to begin without him." I explained.  
Julia scoffed; it appeared that she was still changing.

"You're dealing with Adrian Ivashkov, honey. _Of course_ he won't return your calls. He's, like, a native from the Planet of the Rich kids and spending his daddy's money is the only thing even remotely close to productivity for the guy."

She walked out of the changing room back in her original clothes; black skinny jeans and an emerald tank-top topped off with a black jacket and heels that looked like they could poke someone's eyeballs out. I cringed.

"I mean—His dad makes, what? A million bucks a day? You probably have his action figure."

I frowned, "I'm almost positive I do not."  
Julia didn't regard my response.

"That's not to say he isn't a total catch, because he is. Adrian's pretty famous because he's the son of Nathan Ivashkov—but you already knew that. And another reason for his popularity would be his band, _Falling Upstairs_, they were pretty ratchet until you know, the whole murder thing happened. The funny thing is the whole murder accusation is just giving him more press attention now than ever. Some girls like the bad boy streak, they think it's hot."

I decided not to comment on her abrupt use of the word 'ratchet' for the sake of not hurting her feelings, again.

I was staring at Julia by the time she'd finished her sentence. If she didn't have to catch her breath, she could probably talk on for ten hours straight without any interruptions. I gulped.  
"That's...interesting."

I couldn't help but disagree, when I'd spoken to Adrian, he seemed more than willing to get rid of his adulation. Only someone fairly vacuous would want to go to jail for a framed murder just to gain some 'bad boy cred'.

Since I didn't want to strike another debate with Julia however, I let the thought go as she paid for her outfits and we headed out. After a whole lot of bargaining and coaxing, I managed to part ways with Julia. She headed off for dessert with her boyfriend, Jordan, and I started to wander around the mall, slightly disappointed.

I couldn't help but re-evaluate Julia's words and give a serious thought to Adrian's lack of allegiance. How was I going to handle this case when my client was hardly bothered about his fate himself? Before I could contemplate Adrian's motives any further, my phone buzzed. And this time, to my relief and astonishment, it really _was_ Adrian.

I picked up the phone on the first ring and steadied my voice,

"Adrian. Where on earth have you been? This case isn't going to solve itself. I called you over two hours ago! Did you get my message? I have leads."

I didn't want to sound like I didn't have anything better to do, but now that I was stuck in Palm Springs and had been adjured to focus all my energy into handling and solving this case, I really _didn't _have anything better to do.

The shift in priorities wasn't amiable, but it was my duty. Unfortunately, Adrian was hard to work with. Surprisingly though, he sounded almost apologetic.  
"Sorry, Sage. I was handling some band business. The media just love us now more than ever. I think the whole homicidal thing is in vogue this season."

I rolled my eyes again, refusing to resort to sympathy.  
"Where are you? I have tracked down a few suspects, people Lee was in touch with on a day-to-day basis. Do you want to come along or shall I handle it myself?"

I made my tone sound intentionally pissed off.  
"Of course I want to come along! Just tell me where you are and I'll come get you."  
The voice on the other end stated.  
I sighed, "You don't need to come _get me_ anywhere. Meet me at Shaggy's Seafood Shack in fifteen minutes."  
Adrian's tone was hesitant.  
"Why there?"

"That's where we'll find Suspect number one."

**A/N: So? What do you think? This chapter's mostly filler, it's one of the weakest chapters I've written so far &amp; I hate to sound like a broken record but it does get better. There's plenty more Sydrian awaiting in the next few chapters, so there's that.**

**P.S I know Sydney's a little hard to relate to right now, I'm just making her such a tight ass because this personality of hers is poignant to later chapters. It's what I'm aiming for will change evidently with Adrian's influence. So read on!:)**

**Anyway… please do review/fave/follow! :)**


	5. 4: Please, Do Talk About Me When Im Gone

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who is reviewing, I really appreciate it. And special thanks to CherrySlushLover whose helped me spread the word around.**

**P.S Fairly small chapter, but its just because I need to branch out the plot. The next two chapters contain lots of Sydrian love, so be patient &amp; read on!**

**If you like my story, PLEASE review/fave/follow. It means soo much.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot. All rights go to Richelle Awesome Mead.  
Also, I do not own today's chapter title. Enjoy. **

CHAPTER FOUR

Please, Do Talk About Me When I'm Gone

Adrian, for once, had shown some resolve and was already seated at the bar when I'd arrived. The resolve part being that he had reached on time, not the part that involved the drinking. I walked over to him and took a seat on the extremely uncomfortable bar stool besides him.

"Couldn't you find us a table?"

Adrian turned to me, grinning instantly. He reeked of smoke and alcohol mixed with deodorant. He wore a dark blue t-shirt and expensive-looking jeans. His shoes looked like they'd been polished a number of times to look squeaky clean, and his 'messed up' hair were messier than usual. His charismatic green eyes being the only redeeming factor.

Scratch that, the intoxicating smell of his undoubtedly over priced perfume was also a plus.

"I could, but Mark's the bartender. So it makes sense that we sit here.  
Plus, I get instant refills." He said,  
raising his alcoholic beverage and hovering it at my face.

I had assessed that Mark could certainly be on our suspect list, according to the records; he was Lee's best friend. They'd been together since their kindergarten years and that meant he probably knew Lee extremely well. We could attain tons of information from him.

Adrian knew Mark because apparently he and his friends used to come to Shaggy's Seafood Shack a lot. A guy, who looked probably a year or two older than me, approached us. He had ginger hair and a sullen face, he looked fairly unpleasant but flashed us a half-hearted smile.

"Hey Adrian, Can I get you anything?"

I realized that the second part of the sentence was addressed to me as Adrian already had his beverage in hand.

"The girl would like a vodka on the rocks," Adrian added helpfully. I glared at him briefly, making my disapproval known before turning back. "Uh, no thank you..."  
I reconsidered the statement,  
"You wouldn't happen to have coffee, would you?"  
"Actually, we do."  
"Great. I'll have that."

After taking our orders, he shuffled away, disappearing into an anteroom that probably led to the kitchen.  
"That's our guy, by the way." Adrian muttered.  
I turned back to look at him.  
"You could've mentioned that a little earlier."  
Adrian shrugged,

"He'll come back. You should loosen up, Sage. Grab yourself a drink and try to relax."

I shook my head, condemned by his behaviour.  
"You are absolutely tactless. And I really don't think you should be drinking while on the job."  
Adrian utterly ignored my comment.

"Should warn you by the way. Mark? Not the brightest guy you'll ever meet. He's also kinda sadistic and plays way too much _Dungeons and Dragons _for his own good."

I snorted, "I didn't ask for his biography."

I was a little pleasantly surprised by my own retort; I suspected his smugness was rubbing off on me.  
Mark approached us once again with my coffee in hand.  
I was thankful for the coffee, and immediately took a few much awaited blissful sips.  
After that, he was about to vanish out back again but luckily,  
Adrian stopped him.

"So, Mark, my man! How you been, eh?"

I feigned my eyes not to roll at everything Adrian said.

"Um, I've been okay." His answer sounded unconvincing, even to me.  
"Hey Adrian," I suddenly said—improvising,  
"I was reading the newspaper today and heard that _Falling Upstairs _was being rebuked. Why's that? I mean, I've always been a fan of your stuff."  
I was only partially lying, since there really was an article that Adrian's band was sparking a lot of public debate in today's newspaper.

Mark looked uncomfortable, like he wanted to bolt.  
Thankfully, Adrian wasn't as daft as I'd painted him to be, he caught up almost on cue.

"Yeah, man. Ever since Lee was brutally murdered and the killer decided to blame the whole thing on me, we've been getting a lot of bad press."

"Uh, could you excuse me for a moment?" Mark mumbled,  
his hands were visibly starting to shake.  
"Wait, weren't you, like, Lee's best friend?" I said, hoping that I sounded oblivious and genuinely curious.  
Mark struggled to meet my eyes,  
"Yeah...I was."

"That must've been so hard. I—I can't even imagine the emotional scars something like that would've left." I remarked, and I seemed to have struck a nerve.

Mark scowled, "It did. So you can understand why I don't like speaking about it. I'm sorry they're blaming the whole thing on you, man. But there's really nothing left to say here."  
It was Adrian's turn to be enraged.

"That's all, Mark? You knew the guy since you were in diapers and conveniently seemed to disappear right before and after his murder."  
I didn't want Adrian to blow our cover, I was afraid that it might tick Mark off and he would be even more hesitant to answer our questions if he found out I was Adrian's lawyer planning to plea for his innocence.

Unintentionally, I rested a hand on Adrian's arm, and gave Mark a sharp look.  
"What are you trying to say?" Mark barked,  
"Nobody's accusing you of anything, Mark. Don't worry about that; we're just trying to get to the bottom of this. Do you think you could answer a few questions for us?"

I kept my tone fairly neutral, hoping he'd buy it.

"I...I already spoke to the police. Why do I owe any of you any explanations?" He countered.  
From my peripheral, I noticed Adrian was bawling his fists.  
"You don't," I said finally,  
"But it would be helpful if you do."

Mark took a deep breath; his eyes darted from me to Adrian, and back to me. Finally, he rested an elbow on the counter and looked me right in the eye.

"Lee was my friend. He—He was a great guy, but he had his flaws. He got pissed off a little too easily and always went out of his way to bring his point across. And...And he lied a lot. I'd say that he made a few enemies down that road, and a lot of people would have plenty reason to, uh...to have a beef with him."

He took a deep breath and went on,  
"But when people started accusing Adrian and his family, it was all too convenient for the killer, I guess."

Adrian responded to this by setting his beer glass down on the counter with a little too much brisk force. Mark backed off the counter because of this,  
"I'm telling the truth, I swear."  
I still did have a knack for liars, and I could tell that this guy, despite being a little odd, wasn't a murderer.  
It was hard, even for me, to believe that he'd killed one of his best buddies, especially considering he probably didn't have a lot of friends anyway.

"I was looking into the case myself. I don't buy that you killed him, either. But…"

"But what?" I coaxed, unfortunetely Mark didn't want to finish his sentence.  
He shook his head nervously. "Nothing."  
Adrian seemed to relax after a moment, his emotions turning on a dime again, and his smug smile returned.  
"Fine. What about these 'people' who had—erm, who could've been plotting against him. Namely anyone?" I inquired, but Mark shook his head.

"I don't know who. Lee was tremendously secretive—even with me."

"Is that all you'd like to share?" I asked, before Adrian could deliver whatever snarky line he'd been about to.

"What—what else do you want to know?"

"Just a few days before Lee's death, did you see him acting a little differently, small shifts in behavioural patterns? Maybe some upsetting news? Something that could give us a hint or set him off?" I questioned. Mark considered this.  
"As Adrian, um, mentioned, I wasn't around during Lee's last days. I...uh, I was in Chicago for a Comic Convention. And I arrived back here two nights ago. So...I wouldn't be the one you should ask." Adrian fixed him with a tight smile,

"You better be telling us the truth. The lady doesn't appreciate being lied to. And, for the record, nor do I."

Again, I put a hand on his arm, except this time, I pinched him—hard. Mark was evidently intimidated by us, he was a little awkward but his pain was clear. Mark had really lost a childhood friend, and even I had some consideration for something like that. Adrian had no right being so mean to him—especially when we had no evidence against this guy.  
"Ow!" Adrian winced, louring at me. I disregarded his gaze.

"Thank you for your time, Mark."  
"Uh, there is one more thing...I—I think." He added,  
"What is it?" I tilted my head. I assumed this was what he was trying to gain the courage to convey earlier and had failed.

"Since Lee's death, uh, I'm being haunted."  
Adrian looked like he'd been slapped in the face.  
"What?"

"Uh, I mean someone's messing with me. They don't seem to want me to get close to the case. All my research was in vain. I've been receiving voice messages from Lee, they're just recordings, but they're starting to freak me out. And also, a few days ago, I went to Lee's house to grab all his old stuff that he didn't use anymore. Like his Xbox, and well, his house had been completely trashed. The police said nobody had been there, but Lee wasn't an untidy person...Someone had made a visit to his place, I guess."

Mark looked truthfully bothered,  
he fidgeted with a silver ring in his right hand and his eyes refused to meet mine,

Luckily, that really _was_ helpful information. Had someone broken into Lee's house? It was a good question. Suddenly, an idea, albeit not a good one, dawned over me.  
It really wasn't something I wanted to do; I was the last person who liked to go against the rules. But it might just help us find what we were looking for.

"Were the recordings trying to send a message or were they just random?"

Mark shrugged, "I could, uh, forward them to you. I recorded the last two on my laptop."

"That would be great. Thanks, again, Mark. That was useful information."

Mark was about to walk away, but turned swiftly and flashed us a disturbed look.  
"You know what's eerie about all this?"  
"What?"  
"Lee was the kind of guy who fed on attention."  
"So?"

"He once told me that he wanted his death to be dramatic, so people would keep talking about him even after he was gone."  
I wasn't quite sure how to answer that, so I stayed quiet.  
If that was Lee's death wish, he'd certainly gotten a run for his money.

All the color had drained from Adrian's face.  
"Thanks." He managed.  
Mark nodded tentatively at me, smiled apprehensively at Adrian, and dashed off into the kitchen. Adrian turned to me,

"We make quite the team—Don't we, Sage?"

I nodded, "I'm counting on it,"  
Adrian's features grew imprecise.

"Because we're going to break into a dead guy's house."

**A/N: I know this chapter's got a lot of exposition again. I hope it isn't too boring! But that's how it works with this murder mystery genre, so there will be a few such chapters. However I promise to make up for that with lots of Sydrian feels that are coming in future chapters. Thanks again and don't forget to review!**

**P.S If you have any ideas or advice feel free to either PM me or put it down in the review! :)**


	6. 5: Carpe Diem

**A/N: Another short-ish chapter purely made of Sydrian bondage :D . I'd like to say thanks to everyone who reviewed and aloha to the new readers ! I'd just like to let you guys know the story's going to be long, I'm not sure how long but its gonna be longer than I'd initially planned for it to be. So I hope you'all will bare with me.**

**Disclaimer: All rights to Adrian Ivashkov and the Bloodlines characters go to Richelle Mead. This is written purely for fun.**

**ENJOY! FOLLOW/FAVE/REVIEW PLEASE! **

CHAPTER FIVE

Carpe Diem

"Whoa, Sage," Adrian blabbed as we walked out of the restaurant and onto the streets. "You're a closet badass."  
The sun was setting in the west, it was already evening by the time we'd finished our little interrogation.

The entire street was bathed in a yellowish-tinge.  
The air was warm and nice. Evenings were the one time of day I really appreciated, especially in Palm Springs. It was neither too hot, nor too cold. The weather was calm and it just had that _Californian _feel to it. I couldn't help but admire downtown Palm Springs in twilight.  
. The streets lamps came to life and created swirling patterns of shadows on the street.  
The distant tourist chatter soothed me and helped raise my senses.

I turned to frown quizzically at Adrian;  
"What do you mean?"

"Well, I thought you were a hard-ass. You know, your average, typical lawyer type.  
But there's more to you than meets the eye, isn't there?"

I looked away from him, still cherishing the pretty view of the sky. "Why do you say that?"

"Oh, come on. How many _lawyers_ out there go such a long way to help out their clients, man? You're willing to go against all the Lawyer Mantras, and break into the victim's apartment...For me."

I had the feeling he was making me sound a little too liberal in the way he put it.  
I certainly wasn't doing this for _him _in particular. I just didn't want an innocent man going to jail and being punished for someone else's crimes.

Still, I could feel my cheeks reddening, the compliment leaving me flustered.  
I wasn't used to being appreciated by boys, well, except for my boyfriend, Brayden anyway.  
Even saying appreciated seemed like going too far, guys hardly ever even _considered_ me.  
Suddenly though, the lawyer-side of me kicked in, and was disappointed by the jab at our professionalism.

"The job of a lawyer, criminal defences or otherwise, is to represent the best interests of the client. They do not have to like the client or agree with them but they are duty bound to promote their best interests. You're right, it is not our job to achieve or seek justice, but my teachers have taught me that it's important to do so. All lawyers don't practice this method, but I strongly believe in it. If you've got the power to seal someone's fate, it's best to make proper use of that." I explained, Adrian was looking at me now. He looked...perplexed. Again, I blushed and averted his gaze. Unable to make much sense of it.

"In that case, I'm glad you're my lawyer. You...You took a chance on me, and well. I guess that means a lot to me."

It was Adrian's turn to look away; he stared down at his feet and shoved his hands into his pockets as we walked. I'd parked my car further down the lane due to insufficient parking space. I decided I had to notice a complaint to the city council about that increasingly aggravating issue.

I didn't know what to say after that; it felt weird after everything I'd heard about him, to encounter him being so...considerate.  
Up until now I'd disliked Adrian; or at least the image of him that I'd created in my head, and now... He was surprising me.

I knew that I had to reciprocate somehow, or it would seem rude. "Of course." I muttered, knowing that it sounded strained. I really had no right talking to poor Mark with derision when I myself had a long way to go when it came to social behaviour.  
I was the most quintessentially socially awkward person there was.

"I'm also quite impressed, Sage. You've heard of my band. I'd figured you'd be more into Jazz or something."

Adrian went on, I almost burst into laughter. I didn't listen to a lot of music, but I wasn't into Jazz either. I preferred old tunes, classics from the sixties and the seventies.  
Although I highly doubted that would elevate me in Adrian's eyes any further than having a fetish for Jazz would.

"I haven't exactly 'heard' your band," I admitted,  
"My friend told me about you guys. Also, you really were in today's headlines."  
"Your friend has good taste,"  
Adrian didn't look too surprised; he ran a hand through his hair as we rounded a corner.

"Oh, yeah—I'll admit, when I performed the ritual sacrifice for an increase in PR, this is certainly not what I meant. Satan, I demand a do-over!" He joked.  
I absent-mindedly touched the cross around my neck; I knew that Adrian was only mocking and that these sadist jokes were a thing in pop culture today, I couldn't help but feel a little unhinged by it.

"What's wrong?" He immediately asked, I looked up at him and smiled softly,  
"Nothing," Adrian studied me for a moment.  
"You've got a pretty smile. You should use it more often."  
My smile only widened, I felt my cheeks doing the blushy-thing again.

"I smile!" I argued, "Hardly," Adrian confirmed.

We stopped by my car, Latte. The sky had turned purple with the last of the day's light. The breath of fresh air I was about to relish in was almost instantly polluted by the smell of cigarette smoke.

I coughed, and took a few steps away from him, swatting the air as one would to drive away mosquitoes. Adrian groaned,

"It's not the Plague, Sage."

"It's not far from it. They both kill and smell horrible!" I muttered, when he saw how affected I really was, he took a few steps farther away from me.  
Unbelievably, he still wouldn't get rid of the cancer stick.

"Why?" I asked, pointing at it. Adrian looked up from his cigerette and eyed me, "What?"  
"Why do you do it?"  
Understanding showed on his features and he stared down at the ground before  
taking another long drag. He tapped his left foot on the ground, as if he was stomping on  
ghosts from his past. He sighed,

"Everyone's got their poisons."

I frowned and took a small step towards him.  
"It makes you feel better," I observed, "I don't see why causing harm to yourself would make  
you feel any better. Your problems still persist, add to the list a chance of a variety of  
lung diseases. Its…pointless."

Adrian smiled, his smile was dark and wistful.  
"Ever got your heart broken, Sage?"

I shook my head. My dating life was a big non-event.  
Brayden was my first and only boyfriend, and things seemed to always run smoothe and still between us. The heated passion that I'd read about in novels or heard about from friends  
was something that I didn't understand; or have an experience of.

"Okay, say that you meet someone, you start a conversation…It goes great. He likes you, you like him. You spend time together, feelings grow deeper, and one day, without  
even realizing it, you find your in love. Time stops. And it feels like the whole world's  
made for you two, and you two alone, until the day one of you leaves and rips the still-beating heart from the other, who's now a broken, hollow, mockery of the human condition."

I was so taken aback I had goosebumps on my skin.  
His sudden emotional outburst had just come out of nowhere; his feelings  
just altered so fast I wasn't sure I knew what to say.

"'And to make things worse, your dad's an asshole and your suddenly  
accused of a crime that you had nothing to do with. Then you see this cigarette,  
just lying there calling out to you. Its simply this little stick made of tabacco,  
but when it burns up and you smoke it out, you feel your problems going up with it."

I took a deep breath, "Your sacrificing twenty-five years of your life for momentary bliss.  
Still don't get it. If I were you, I'd suck it up and find a solution to my problems instead  
of looking for an escape route."

Adrian snuffed out his cigerette after that and grinned at me.  
"That's the plan, Sage. That's the plan."

I was perplexed, wondering if I'd ever understand him.  
Maybe I was getting a little too friendly with him; he was only my client afterall…

"So, when do you want to do the deed?" Adrian demanded, and I knew that he meant to ask about when I planned to break into Lee's house.  
I gave this a thought.  
"Tomorrow night. I'll let you know the time."  
Adrian looked me over as I began to get into my car,

"Don't we have any more suspects to scope out?"

I considered this. We certainly did have a few more people to talk to, but I'd imagined Adrian wouldn't want to be working extra hours. I, on the other hand, decided I didn't mind.  
"Yes, we do. There's a nightclub just two blocks away, I suspect we'll find our next defendant over there."

Adrian instantly lightened up and jumped shot-gun.  
"Nightclubs are my kingdom, Sage. Let's go."

The nightclub was called The Pulse and I could see why.  
It was dusky, dingy and dank. There was so much dry ice in the room I could barely see anything, and I had a feeling I would have to get my eardrums surgically removed after this particular visit.  
Loud, clamouring sounds echoed throughout the confined walls. The tumult of the crowding people could probably be heard from Space.  
From around the corner, I could hear the somnolent buzz of the eponymous neon marlin fish out front, providing a backdrop for the clinking of glasses and drone-like chatter of a hundred something people.

As we walked further into the joint, the intermingled smells of smoke and sweat and too many people instantly assaulted my nostrils.

Adrian stood dangerously close to me, and it wasn't even his fault.  
Our shoulders were practically squished together due to the amount of people milling all around us. Adrian put a steady hand on my shoulder.

"Is this your first time in a bar, Sage? You look lost and confused."

His tone seemed genuinely considerate, but I couldn't tell.  
I felt a little embarrassed to admit that I was a nineteen year old who hadn't been to a bar before, but it was true. I avoided such places, and The Pulse Nightclub was a stellar reason why.

"Yes! God, this place is a jungle." I complained petulantly.  
"Follow my lead, alright? Or these people are gonna trample all over you."

His voice was casual enough, but I could tell by the undertone that he wasn't joking.  
I took a deep breath and nodded; he started to walk ahead of me, and offered me his arm.  
I wanted to be the strong, independent woman who didn't need any man's help,  
but at this moment, I just wanted to be able to breathe properly.

Reluctantly, I caught hold of his arm and blindly followed Adrian through the crowds.

By now, my eyes were adjusting to the imminent darkness, tomblike and womblike at the same time. Bright spots of neon beer signs on the wall stood out, illuminating the faces and cleavage and Mohawks of the crowd, while others disappeared into the contrasting blackness.

Finally, we made it to the bar area that was sparsely populated compared to the entrance and the dance floor. I took a few calming breaths and instantly let go of Adrian's hand.  
My fingertips tingled a little from the contact,  
but I didn't pay much attention to it.

Adrian sat down on yet another bar stool and chauffeured me to the one next to his.

"If I'd known this was our next destination, I would've booked us a table."  
He announced over the roaring sounds.

I sat down and tried to pat down my messy blonde hair that were probably standing out in all directions due to the humidity in this place.

"Maybe we should come back here during the day?" I suggested.

"Too late for that, Sage. We're here now, we should seize the moment."

**A/N: What did you guys think? Let me know in the reviews, it means a lot.  
I'll try to update the next chapter as soon as I can! Another character from the books is soon gonna make an appearance, any guesses? **


	7. 6: I Only Have Eye For You

**A/N: I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far, I just wanted to let you know that the story is going to be a slow, steady burn. I have this thing about keeping characters as IN CHARACTER as possible… So they aren't going to instantly fall into one another's arms. Having said that, there is some Sydrian goodness that I bet you guys will like in the next chapter. Enjoy! Please please review, follow or fave if you like it! :)**

CHAPTER SIX

I Only Have Eye For You

He was back to his smug self again, and the rare glimpses of humanity that I'd obtained from him were all fading evidently. I shook my head.

"It's not like I have a choice."

"We're looking for a Kylie Burke!" I added, hoping my vocal chords wouldn't burst.  
Thankfully, Adrian heard me. He nodded,  
"Although, it's gonna be difficult finding her in this crowd."

I didn't disagree to that remark.

"Why would anyone find this atrocity even the slightest bit amusing?"  
I muttered disdainfully.

When I turned back to look at Adrian, he had his better half—an alcoholic beverage in hand.  
Fast service. No wonder there was such a horde.  
Adrian leaned a little towards me so that he didn't have to shout,

"To have fun. F-U-N. Have you ever heard of _fun_, Sage?"

He spoke in a mocking tone, spelling out the word like one does to a five year old.  
I _did_ have fun; it wasn't a foreign concept to me.

"My idea of fun is a little different than yours; it doesn't involve throngs of people and loud, ear shattering beats."  
Adrian rolled his eyes and began to scan the crowd. I followed his gaze.

We were looking for Kylie Burke, according to her files, she was at The Pulse nightclub every Saturday and Sunday evening, I was positively certain that she'd be around here somewhere. Kylie was Lee's ex-girlfriend, he'd ostensibly had a really tight relationship with her before they'd broken things off for reasons I wasn't aware of.  
When she wasn't working or at the gym, Burke was usually to be found at nightclubs and this was listed as her favourite one in her profile. I hoped that we hadn't caught the place on an odd day and it turned out that she wasn't gonna show up. With the kind of luck that I'd  
had all day, I wouldn't exactly be surprised.

"Hey. I was looking for my friend. Her name's Kylie Burke? She's a regular over here."  
I swiftly twirled around to find Adrian quizzing the bartender.  
The girl who was bartending was pretty; she had black hair and hazel eyes.  
She also had a lithe figure and looked like she was interested in Adrian.  
She leaned against the counter, flashing him a kittenish smile.

"Yeah, Burke's here all the time. She's reserved a table for 8 pm. She should be here anytime now." The girl's words were sensible enough,  
but the sentence was conveyed with an astoundingly numerous amount of unnecessary hair tossing and head tilting. I shuddered.

This girl was literally throwing herself at him.  
Adrian gallantly took the hint,  
"Great," He said, pretending to check the time on his watch which didn't even appear to be working. "That means I've got some free time on my hands."

I scoffed at them, and looked away from Adrian. I checked the watch on my own wrist,  
we had about fifteen minutes till Kylie arrived, and that was if she wasn't late.  
I sank back into the bar seat, the seats here were much more comfortable than the bar stools back at Shaggy's Seafood Shack.

Adrian and the girl continued to throw around playful retorts at each other, flirting stupendously. I touched Adrian's arm when the girl went to attend to a customer.  
He looked up at me, and realization flashed through his eyes.

"Sorry, I forgot we were on a mission here."  
"Its—its fine. You can do whatever you want till Kylie comes along, really. It's not like you owe me your company or anything. I'm fine. You go ahead." I mumbled.  
Adrian studied me vicariously.  
"You sure, Sage? I do this all the time. If you're bored—"  
I cut him off, refusing to play the damsel in distress card.

"I'm sure, now have your fun. Don't worry about me."

After pondering this over for a few more seconds, he nodded at me.  
Then turned around and flashed the girl who'd made her way back to him a prepossessing smile. I sighed and decided to order another coffee.  
I knew my coffee addiction was getting worse, but at this point, I needed an energy boost.

Once my coffee arrived, I took small sips while scanning the crowd and doing my best to completely drain out Adrian and his new bait's constant chattering.  
The music certainly helped in doing so, even though the beats sounded horrific to me.

Soon, I realized Adrian and the girl were heading towards the dance floor; apparently she was ready to abandon her shift to dance with a hot boy for a few minutes.  
I watched him lead her out to the dance floor until they were swallowed by the crowd and I lost sight of them. I sighed, stealing a quick glance at my watch again.  
Five minutes. "Come on, Kylie." I urged, to nobody in particular.

"Care for a drink?"  
A male voice pulled me out of my thoughts and I turned to look at the source of the voice.

In a cartoon version of my life, my jaw would've hit the floor.

He had dishevelled blond hair and one eye.  
His other eye didn't count, considering it was made of glass.  
Some girls found him attractive, but I knew him for what he really was-a vile monster.  
Instantly, I jumped off my seat, I needed to get more distance between me and him.

Keith Darnell was on the seat right next to mine, he sneered at my reaction.  
"Oh, relax. I'm not going to hurt you. Or well—I am, but it'll be more figurative than literal. Still, I suppose it'll hurt the same."

I crossed my arms over my chest and looked away from him resentfully.  
How had he known that I would be here?  
Could it have been a pure coincidence?  
No, I didn't believe in coincidences.  
"How did you find me?" I muttered distastefully.

"Google Maps, I'm stalking your every move. I've planted a tracking device in your purse."

I shrieked, I clutched my bag and started to rummage through it when Keith burst into caterwauling laughter.

"I was kidding. Gosh, Sydney. Why on earth would I do that?"

He put a hand on top of my idle one that I'd absentmindedly rested on the counter.  
I felt like my skin was going to start burning and peeling off.

"That was not funny." I stated, hoping I sounded threatening enough.  
I zipped the bag shut again with one hand and politely but scornfully slid my other one off from under his.

"Look, Sydney. I'm here because Donna's asked me to back you up. I, for one think that you should consider yourself lucky. Your defying procedure, you skipped the hard stuff and raced right to the finish line. You've got a gold mine of a case here, so you better not screw it up."  
I reluctantly sat back down and he leaned in towards me.  
His face was inches from mine and I felt like I was going to throw up.

"See, first timers tend to screw things up real fast. So I'm going to be there every step of the way, Sydney. One misstep. One fallout. One lead that you didn't latch on to. And you know I'll be there, ready to report your screw up and take over the case,"

"So...I'll warn you out of the goodness of my heart_, be careful_."

He smiled, took a big sip of the scotch he'd been having and banged it on the counter with brute force.  
I couldn't help but feel the rush of anxiety; Keith wasn't doing this out of chivalry.  
He was doing it out of revenge.  
His next words proved me right.

"I am going to look at every piece of this puzzle rationally and carefully. And I'm going to keep looking until I figure out exactly how it is all your fault."

This didn't come as a surprise. I'd gotten on his bad side, after he'd hurt my sister...  
I couldn't stand just letting it go. And I'd made a deal with someone...They were people who dealt with drugs and robberies.  
So it was suffice to say it didn't end well for Keith.

I was why he had only one eye. He leaned away, smiling fanatically.

"So, how's it going?" He asked, completely altering his tone and stance.  
I stiffened even though he didn't sound as foreboding anymore. His obscene behaviour was making me sick. I needed to excuse myself.  
"Leave me alone, Keith." My voice was shrill. Keith flashed me an innocent frown,  
"Oh, you know I can't do that."  
My head was already starting to blast, and I could foresee a migraine.

"Is this guy bothering you?"

I almost jumped out of my seat. Adrian was standing in front of us, a fierce and protective expression on his face. It didn't take a rocket scientist to tell that Keith made me uncomfortable. And I was probably oozing with uneasiness.  
Keith turned around, glaring incredulously at Adrian,

"I'm her partner."

"Hardly," I scoffed, and then looked up at Adrian.

He was surprisingly alone, and his stance said it all. He would beat Keith up if need be.  
No matter how much the thought of Adrian beating Keith into a pulp appealed to me,  
I shook my head and plastered a smile.  
"But everything's fine—I told you, no need to worry."

"Yeah? Because my spider senses tell me that this guy's being a jerk to you."  
Adrian leaned down, his expression zealous.

"Do you want to lose the other eye too?

Apparently, Keith didn't know that Adrian was our client. He shot right out of his seat to face Adrian. The juxtaposition was almost hilarious; Keith was several inches shorter than Adrian. Keith noticed it too, and his incense subsided.

"I was just leaving." He said abruptly, he grabbed his coat and stomped away from us.  
But he turned backwards while walking and shot me an insidious grin and mouthed,  
"I'll be seeing you."

I closed my eyes and tried to steady my racing pulse once he'd disappeared into the crowd.  
I began to rub my temples and turned away from Adrian.  
He sat down next to me and put a hand on my shoulder,  
I didn't feel any less miserable, but it was a supportive gesture; one which I appreciated.

"Are you okay, Sage? I could still go after him you know."

That tugged a smile to my face, and I turned to look into Adrian's green eyes.

"No, you couldn't. I bet you've never thrown a punch in your life."

He grinned sheepishly,  
"You're right. But he didn't know that."

He took his hand off my shoulder and looked at me with a countenance that was astounding.

"Plus, I'm _sure_ I could've landed a punch or two on that weasel. I mean what a prick. You're just doing your job—and very well, at that. You aren't a prejudice asshole like he is.  
He needs to grow a pair and shut the hell up."

Again, Adrian was surprising me with his constancy.  
I tried not to blush again, appreciating the Keith mockery.

"Thank you." I said,  
"I didn't need your help—and I'm not okay with you eavesdropping. But...I appreciate it."

"Hey," Adrian said with a small smile,  
"Least I can do."

I was still reeling from the encounter with my mortal enemy Keith Darnell. But I suddenly remembered why we'd come here in the first place. Kylie Burke.  
Adrian was drinking again, and for once, I didn't even bother denigrating him for it.  
I was tired of sounding like a broken record. "Adrian," I mused,

He flashed his green eyes at me. "Daydreaming about that bastard you won't tell me about?"

I waved off the mocking comment about Keith. I'd appreciated Adrian's sweeping in, I really had, but I didn't like talking about anything Darnell related, to anyone. Ever.  
"Kylie should be here by now." I murmured.  
As if on cue, Adrian's lost bartender approached us.

"Oh, yeah. She's here. She's at Table Eight in the VIP section."  
She pointed at something behind me, I twirled around.

I caught sight of red velvet ropes concealing a private area of the bar that looked far less crowded. Unfortunately, the rest of the view was almost completely blocked by the bobbing heads and mobs of gyrating people.

Adrian followed my gaze and twirled back to the bartender swiftly.  
"So Gia, is there any chance you'd let us in...To the VIP section?"  
Adrian flashed the girl yet another smouldering smile.  
Adrian obviously thought he could wave his magic wand and make any girl fall for his charm, astoundingly; Gia looked like she was buying it.

Our hope was short lived.  
Gia gave him a cold look, "You're cute,"  
Adrian's grin only widened.

"But I'm not thick enough to lose my job over that doe-eyed Angel face."

I sighed and nodded in exasperation, "We understand."  
"Too bad you're cuteness can't land me a job, huh."

"Actually..."

I could already see the wheels turning in Adrian's head.  
"Adrian, no." I chided, but why would he listen?

"Have you heard of me? My dad's Nathan Ivashkov. Simply put, the man's a billionaire.  
I'll give you the short version, my...Friend and I need to urgently talk to Kylie Burke. If you get us to her, you'll be saving my ass. Do that, and I'm in your debt. You can have any job you like. Name it, and it's done. How's that sound?"  
Apparently, Gia wasn't as ingenious as she claimed to be, her smile returned.

"Sounds a hell of a lot better than serving drinks to pot bellies and prostitutes behind a counter, I'll help you. But deal's a deal, pretty boy."

Adrian's easy smile returned, he flashed me a knowing look.  
I wanted to coax him some more, tell him that manipulating and flirting his way in and out of every hurdle was the wrong way to go about life.  
Despite my noble notion, I couldn't help but smile at how easily we'd gotten the bartender to yield to us.

Perks of being on the arm of an Ivashkov, I guess.

**A/N: Feel free to PM me if you have any questions regarding the story and I hope you guys liked this chapter. I'll try to keep my updating as frequent as possible =D  
Thanks to everyone who regularly tunes in or leaves a review, you are the reason I haven't given up on this story. **


	8. 7: Cheatty Cheatty Bang Bang

**Disclaimer: I do not own today's title, the song that is used or these characters.  
I have no affiliation with either of these, this is written simply for fun.**

P.S Let me know what you think of this chapter, I really enjoyed writing it. ;)

CHAPTER SEVEN

Cheatty Cheatty Bang Bang

"Sure. It's sick what happened to Lee. But he's dead now, and I prefer not to dwell on the past."

Even Adrian looked miffed by the way our new friend Kylie Burke was behaving. Gia had gotten us into the VIP section without too much trouble and we'd approached her.

Apparently, we'd interrupted Kylie's 'party session'. She seemed passably high and a little out of it. She had short blonde hair a shade or two darker than my own, light blue eyes and wore a skimpy dress. She'd been sitting with a girl and a bunch of guys who eerily reminded me of those stereotypical High school jocks I'd come across in so many teenage movies that Julia had made me sit through.

If I had to describe them, though, I'd call them a bunch of _Keiths._

If this was Lee's girlfriend, I wasn't surprised he'd ended up the way he had.

Adrian was about to give up, but I attempted another, more subtle approach.  
"You dated Lee for over three years and then the two of you abruptly broke it off only days before Keith's murder. Can I ask why?" Kylie flashed me a scowl.  
"Yanno, if you're calling me a murderer I might as well comply and shoot you in the head for accusing me of such a thing."

Her words were underlined with a hint of a Texan accent. I was about to question her if she had just threatened me but Adrian pulled me back.

"I'll handle it from here, Sage. I think we've all had enough of your 'subtle approach'."

I rolled my eyes at him. I was forgetting who the lawyer here was.

"You dislike him," Adrian observed, tilting his head at her perceptively.  
"What?"  
"You don't want to talk about him because you hate him. But...Why? You were with him for so long, it doesn't make sense. Did...Did he hurt you?"

Kylie was clearly disturbed by this, and started to push away from us and towards the dance floor without a word. She wanted to dodge us, and I was almost happy to oblige since I didn't like her irrreverent behaviour. But Adrian shook his head, grabbed my hand before I could protest, and followed her. And I was dragged along with him.

"Kylie!" He called out, pushing through the tumults of people. I didn't appreciate being hauled around by him. And I certainly didn't appreciate being lured back into the kingdom of the horny.

We stood in the middle of the crowded dance floor, Kylie began to dance to the rhythm while Adrian and I continued to pursue her. When Adrian began dancing too, Kylie took this as a sign. As fast as lightning, her arms were wrapped around his neck and the two of them were swaying together. I was stuck as the odd one out, standing a few inches away from them, dumbfounded.

I was utterly horrified by Adrian's behavior. This wasn't another way for him to get himself a date, this was business. I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest.

"What the hell are you doing?" I cried out.

Adrian barely heard me, the music only adding salt to the wound. I stomped my foot in an outrage as Adrian pulled Kylie closer,  
he whispered something into her ear and she nodded before stalking off towards the bar area. Only then did Adrian seem to notice me.

So naturally, I was taken by surprise when he grabbed my hands and assertively wrapped them around his neck. After that, he rested both his hands on my hips and practically forced me into dancing with him. I glared at him with as much rage as I could conjure.

"Shh," He spoke before I could, leaning in a little too close for comfort.  
"I sent her to get some drinks. I'm getting her to loosen up around us. She shouldn't feel like she's being cornered. So just go along with it. Okay?"

Despite his dominating and insisting behavior all night, his voice was outstandingly gentle. When I didn't reply, his grip on my hips loosened.

"Am I making you uncomfortable? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—" I cut him off at that.

Was I used to men jerking me around? Most certainly not.  
Did I like being forced to be a part of this outlandish crowd? Not at all.  
But he didn't make me uncomfortable, and that came as a shock to me, too.

It felt almost…easy. It felt right. I didn't know why, but I didn't mind his hands on my hips. The fact that I didn't mind it bothered me much more than anything else that had happened all night. Still, he made sense. This was all a ruse to get the answers we needed from Kylie. That's all I had to keep telling myself.

"I'm not. And…Good thinking." I muttered, a little surprised by the words leaving my mouth. Adrian smiled wryly, "Oh, good. I thought you were going to sucker punch me for a second,"

His expression softened again.

"And Sage? I know that you don't like being here, you'd probably rather be anywhere else right now. I can understand that. But your still baring with me, and I think that's cool of you."

I smiled back, I couldn't help myself. His personality was contagious, and I felt like I could trust him for reasons beyond me.

"You can just say your welcome, you know. Spare me the monologue." I said. He must've thanked me at least ten times today.

Kylie was still nowhere to be seen, and I hoped she hadn't skipped off in an attempt to escape us, but Adrian assured me she wouldn't and I chose to believe him. I didn't say anything after that, but in truth I was fighting to ignore the heat that was spreading inside me with his very strong arms encircling me.  
Maybe it was just an Adrian thing, perhaps he did hold some kind of mystical ability to make girls all giddy. Maybe it was because I had never danced with a boy before. Certainly not someone as good looking as him.

I wasn't much for dancing, but I could appreciate a good dancer when I saw one. His body complimented the jarring music so well, I almost laughed.  
Even though I despised the music we were dancing to, I couldn't help but admire how great he was at it.

Kylie came back to us a few moments after that, Adrian and I were still dancing, the music was fast and upbeat,  
so he had let go of me and we were simply bobbing our heads to the beat. She handed each of us a shot glass and I shook my head,

"I'm sorry, I don't drink." I practically shoved the glass back into Kylie's hand.  
She shrugged, "More for me, then." Adrian, on the other hand, had no such predicaments. He downed the glass within seconds and gracefully handed it back to her.

"I'll be right back. I need to find my friend, Lilah." She scampered off once more, dissapearing into the crowd.  
"We're gonna slow things down a bit," The DJ announced. Suddenly, the music dulled down to a soft melody.

I dreaded what was coming next, as I noticed people coupling off. "Oh, great." I groaned.

"Hey, there are worse places to be than this. You can stop me if you want." Adrain's  
voice was reassuring, but I was still nervous.

I tried to catch the words of the song, it was the first lyrical tune they'd played all night.

_Some say love, it is a river. That drowns the tender reed.  
Some say love, it is a razor. That leaves your soul to bleed.  
Some say love, it is a hunger, an endless aching need.  
I say love, it is a flower. And you it's only seed.  
_  
I was so engrossed in the lyrics of the song that at first, I was confused by his words, but slowly came to understand the subtext and stiffened. He pulled me back to him so that we were in tune with the music. It was all a bit too surreal, too romantic and too seductive for my liking.

_It's the heart afraid of breaking, that never learns to dance.  
It's the dream afraid of waking, that never takes the chance.  
It's the one who won't be taken, who cannot seem to give.  
And the soul afraid of dyin', that never learns to live._

I let out a shaky breath as his right hand sneaked around my waist, resting on my back.  
I went along with it despite myself, I placed my hand in is, desperately striving to disregard how warm and soft it was.

For a few seconds, the world seemed to become unimportant. I wasn't used to moments such as these, so I took it graciously.  
For a few moments, everything seemed to be Adrian. His incredibly enticing smell, his hand on my back, his mesmerizing eyes on mine.  
Oh, and the soft beats of the surprisingly erotic and beautiful song. He seemed deep in thought, an interesting juxtaposition to me,  
because for just a few seconds, I was thoughtless.

_When the night has been too lonely.  
And the road has been too long.  
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong.  
Just remember in the winter, far beneath the bitter snows.  
Lies the seed that with the sun's love.  
In the spring becomes the rose._

The dance seemed to last forever. And then it was over in a nanosecond. The song ended, people were slowly breaching off from one another.  
The band was announcing something, but I couldn't catch the words. Suddenly a swarm of butterflies erupted in my stomach.

_He's making you feel butterflies now?  
Are you forgetting you have a boyfriend?  
Are you forgetting this is Adrian Ivashkov?  
Are you forgetting you are his lawyer?_

But I didn't want to acknowledge the rational thoughts.

I would eventually, of course. But I just needed a moment to relish in this.  
I didn't really have a particular word to describe it, I was just aware that I liked it.

His gaze was on me now. We were still in each other's embrace.  
The space in between us seemed to demolish as he pressed the length of my body to his in a quick, sensuous move and held me there for a blink of an eye.

Then he released me, a breathtaking smile shone on his face. He bowed down in an overly dramatic bubble and broke the entrancement.

"Why, Miss Sage. You are an exceptional dancer." He spoke gallantly.  
I retaliated instantly, taking a few steps back and almost stepping on the man behind me in the process. What on earth had that been?

How could I have lost control like that? I reminded myself that I wasn't on a date and this was not Prince Charming.  
Did he think he needed to charm his way into getting what he wanted? I was helping him regardless of that!  
If my boss found out that I was having fuzzy feelings for my client, I would instantly be called off the case!  
This was highly inappropriate. Plus, Brayden was mad enough already, I didn't want to fumigate him any further.

And what about Keith? I could practically feel my face blanch.  
His ominous words echoed in my mind, _I'll be seeing you. _I wanted to cease to exist.  
I wanted to dig myself a nice big hole of shame and stay there for the rest of my meaningless life.

I was a disagrace to professional lawyers everyone. For I, Sydney Katherine Sage, had lost her train of thought in a brief moment of…blind passion. Anger surged through me, but it dimished just as quickly as Kylie approached us.

She was smiling somberly,  
"We can talk now. They'll be shutting down in a few. So make it fast."

Adrian arched an eyebrow at her, "How long ago did you make that generous decision?"  
She shrugged, "I was going to tell you guys earlier. But well, you seemed a little…preoccupied. You look adorable together, you know."

I could feel my cheeks reddening, I really wished invisibility was more than wishful thinking for the moment. Adrian flashed his white teeth at her,

"Ain't love grand? Now, let's cut to the chase."

_He's being sarcastic. Adrian does that, sarcasm is a thing that Adrian does.  
Don't over-analyze his statements. They don't mean anything._

I wanted to smack myself in the face for dancing with him. Of course the dance hadn't meant anything to him!  
He picked up girls on a daily basis. I couldn't believe I'd let that slip my mind.  
"So I'm going to be straight to the point and pick up where I left off. Why don't you like your dead boyfriend?"  
Kylie glared at him, even I was taken aback by his straightforwardness.  
"I'm sorry, Adrian's a frigid jerk sometimes." I offered. Some of Kylie's disdain dissolved, she took a deep breath and crossed her arms.

"I don't like speaking crudely 'bout the dead or whatever. But you want God's honest truth? The guy was an asshole."

I chimed in immediately, "Why do you think so?" Kylie looked candidly uncomfortable. She sighed,

"Lee was a cheating moron, that's why! I found out he was cheating on me with some...bitch last month. There was proof. It started with voice messages, then one night I woke up to realize he'd skipped out on me. Suddenly he was attending way too many meetings and inescapable family emergencies. Of course, it was all a skilful conspiracy to hide the fact that he was a two-timing jerk!"

Her facial features contorted in pain and she looked on the verge of tears, Adrian noticed it too. I stood up and went over to the bar and ordered some water for her. I was doing it for Kylie, but I was also doing it because I could barely stand to look at Adrian. For the time being, the further I was from him, the better.  
I trudged back a minute later with the water. She took it gratefully and had a few sips.

This was the second time someone had mentioned voice messages. Were these the same recordings someone had possibly gotten their hands on and was now using them to scare Mark? And if so, why were they doing it?

I didn't want to sound insensitive, but curiousness got the best of me.  
"Kylie, can you tell us who he was, erm..."  
I racked my brain for a polite way of saying 'cheating'.

"Can you supply us with the name of who he was canoodling with?"

I heard Adrian scoff, clearly suppressing his laughter.

Even Kylie smiled a little bit. "It's okay, you can say cheating." I sighed in relief, although I did feel slightly stupid when I looked at Adrian's face.  
For some reason that I couldn't quite put a finger on, what Adrian thought of me mattered—which was utterly ridiculous in retrospect.

"And yeah, I think her name was Sheila something. I'm so sorry; I don't remember her last name. And honestly? I don't even think I want to."

After a few more questions, we'd left the poor girl alone and let her return to her friends.  
A girl with a cute bob cut and green eyes (but not as green as Adrian's) approached Kylie and dragged her away with her.

Kylie Burke had loved Lee Donahue, whether she admitted it or not, it was plastered all over her face. And when someone like me—Sydney Katherine Sage, who had hardly retained any real experiences in the love department, could see it, well, it was awfully transparent, then. The bad news was that this was yet another dead end, Kylie couldn't have been involved in plotting the murder.

Sure, she had plenty of motives but for some reason it just didn't seem like she could pull something like that off. The good news, despite being a diminutive discovery, was equally important.

We had no files on any Sheila, I knew because I had probably gone over Lee's murder records and the profiles of those close to him a dozen times over since I'd been appointed the case. This gave us an opportunity that I could look into. I'd have to do a lot of research to find the right Sheila, but it was a lead nonetheless.

I was almost starting to doubt my own methods, maybe I was overly analyzing my merit, maybe Donna had been mistaken; maybe I wasn't the one for this case.

After all, I'd let Adrian swoop in and… _touch_ me and dance with me.

That wondrous moment I'd had with him was still fresh in my mind.

Logical thinking and moral authority had taken a back seat.  
I could never, ever let that happen again.

I decided to force those unpleasant thoughts away and focus on the case.  
My job was the best distraction I could ask for.

Adrian didn't have an awful lot of time left, and we were still in a pretty desolate situation. Someone else was clearly interested in Lee's murder, someone was scaring Lee's best friend with ominous recorded messages and Lee clearly hadn't been a squeaky clean soul.

He'd also cheated on his girlfriend. But what could he have done to make someone want to kill him?

Also, I had new problems on my plate; Keith Darnell would do everything in his power to override me. Having him swamped up into this mess of a case was bad enough, but I also had to make sure that he didn't hurt Adrian's case in the long run.

Keith didn't give a damn about justice or even his own job when he could participate in the more delightful pleasures in life—torturing me and ruining my life in general. He didn't follow suit, and still seemed to get away with it every time.

I groaned, until I realized I was still in public. Well, in the presence of another life form, anyway.  
Adrian shot me a quick glance, "You look agitated. Even more so than usual. What's going on?"

I didn't want to prove his earlier statement about having Keith on my mind right, so I didn't respond. Also, despite the fact that I was stuck with him until this case was over with, I wanted to avoid him as much as possible. He was oblivious, so it didn't bother him.

"You know you're going to hurt yourself thinking that hard."

I snapped back to the present and shrugged his comment off.

"Sorry, I'm just tired. Rough day—Adrian, I'm starting to think that breaking into Lee's apartment was a bad idea. I don't think we should carry on with it."

He shook his head vigorously,"No way, Sage. That was actually one of your better ideas. We could learn a lot from doing that. If you're worried about safety, worry no more. I'll be there to protect you."

I was pretty sure that last part was meant to make me laugh, but I felt even more miserable.

"Uh, cue inspirational music here." Adrian mused.

"Adrian, you wanted to know about Keith. He really _is _my partner, and he's going to try and steal this case from me. Trust me; you do not want him as your lawyer. If he finds one error—even a tiny one, then I'm done for. I can't let that happen." I paused to take a breath,  
"Breaking into Lee's apartment is a risk I just can't take, alright? If Keith finds out—"

"He won't." Adrian's voice was sharp and rather fervent.  
"He might—"  
"Sydney...This may sound like a stupid question. But, do you trust me?"

That was a tough question. I hadn't known Adrian for too long, but seductive dances aside, he seemed like a good person. I didn't think for one minute that he was capable of something as monstrous as Lee's murder. But then again, I wasn't very good with people.

"I want to." I whispered softly,  
before focusing back on the dark, endless road in front of me.

**A/N: I hope you guys liked this chapter, also, if you like my writing please help spread the word and review it would really mean so much. Last night an idea for another Sydrian fanfiction came to me and I JUST couldn't help myself, so I might start writing another one once I'm finished with this, so stay tuned if your interested.**

**I just want to thank whoever checks out my story and reviews regularly, any comments, questions or feedback on the story as a whole is always welcome and my PM box is always open.**

**xx**


	9. 8: The Girl In Question

**A/N: I just wanted to let you guys know that I have no love towards Nathan Ivashkov so he's going to be portrayed as a soulless sleazeball throughout this story, probably even more so than he is in the books. This is another small chapter, but I'll keep the updates frequent so it shouldn't be a biggie. I just want to thank all of you who are reading my story and/or dropping a review one more time, I know I sound like a broken record, but this is my first semi-succesful story so it means a lot.**

**P.S I do not own today's chapter title either. And all character rights go to Richelle Mead and co. Enjoy. Please don't hesitate to review, fave or follow. ;)**

* * *

CHAPTER EIGHT

The Girl In Question

The shrill ringing of the hotel's telephone woke me up. I repressed a yawn as I slid out of the warm covers of my bed and fumbled my way out of it to grab the receiver in time. "Hello?"

"Miss Sage? Someone is here to see you, she wouldn't tell us her name but she said that it was urgent. Should I send her up to your room?" A female voice on the other end of the line quizzed.

A dozen thoughts attacked my mind. Why would someone be here to see me so early in the morning? Who could it be...? Was it possible that it was someone from Law school? Maybe it was an unwelcome Julia wanting to share more chocolate truffles...  
Did Donna Stanton send someone to pick me up and tell me that I was off the case? Surely Keith couldn't have sniffed out evidence against me this quickly? Whoever it was, I decided I had to let them up here; it was the only way to cure my curiosity.  
I took a deep breath,

"Uh, sure. Alright."

I cut the phone and made my way towards the mirror. A messy blonde with a blatant look on her face stared back at me. My hair was a rat's nest, like they always were every morning.

I cringed when I came to realize that I was also still in my pyjamas, not the most conventional clothing choice, but I doubted I had much time to change at this point.

I was proven right when just a few heartbeats later, someone rung the bell. I stiffened was probably a side-effect of being this bad with people, but it was also anxiety. Nobody had come to visit me before since I'd arrived in Palm Springs.

And the only people I knew here were Julia, Keith Darnel and well...Adrian. But the former was the only one that made sense, since the receptionist had pointed out that it was a female who was about to make my acquaintance. I sighed, realizing that someone was still waiting for me behind that door.

It couldn't be Julia, no, it had been almost a minute since the incognito had rang the doorbell and I still hadn't regarded it. Julia was too impatient; she would've rung the bell a dozen more times and probably even called me up yelling, "Open up, Sleepyhead!" Or some other silly quip along those lines.

Finally, I braced myself for whatever lay beyond and opened the door.

I was surprised when I didn't recognize the girl at all.

It took a lot of courage to speak up, but I managed it.  
"I'm sorry. Do I know you?"

I was thankful that I'd grabbed my satin robe before answering the door; I clutched it tightly around my body and regarded the girl in front of me sceptically. She was beautiful. She had long light brown hair that fell down her face in perfect little ringlets; she was extremely pale and resembled a model. Add tall and slim to her appearance and you'd think she was a life-sized Barbie doll.

She seemed a little younger than I was, but I couldn't tell for sure. She didn't look threatening in the least, she had her arms crossed over her chest and looked almost as nervous as I felt.

Still, I couldn't rule out anything. Appearances were deceiving.

"Uh, no... But you _are_ Sydney Sage, right? Adrian's lawyer?"

I almost scowled. Was this one of Adrian's countless girlfriends? If so, I was positive I didn't have time for her. But there was something about this girl's demeanor, there was an air of innocence to it. I just couldn't bring myself to be impertinent towards her.

"Yes, I am. Can... I help you?"  
Her features seemed to relax just a little bit; she flashed me a sheepish grin.  
"Oh thank god I didn't end up knocking on the wrong door. I'm really sorry about barging in on you like this. Especially this early in the day... But I was hoping we could talk. It's regarding Adrian's case. It's—it's important."

I considered this. If it was something that could certainly aid Adrian's case then it couldn't hurt. And this girl did seem potentially harmless. I forced a smile.

"Of course. Uh, would you like to come in?"

The girl sat on the sole chair in the room; I took a seat on my bed facing her. For a few exasperating seconds, none of us spoke a word. She kept glancing around awkwardly, rubbing her hands together in a jittering manner. Since somebody eventually had to break the silence, I spoke up, which was probably some sort of personal record for me and my social anxiety.

"So... You wanted to talk."

The brunette looked up at me, realization washing over her features.  
"Right! I'm such a fool. I'm sorry for wasting your time, _again_. I guess I'll get straight to the point then!" She muttered frantically.  
She seemed to pose the propensity of someone who was overly hyper.

"My name's Jill. Adrian and I...Well, let's just say we have history."

_Typical._ I snorted, but I repressed my perspective comments for later.

"Adrian's dad...He doesn't care about Adrian at all, Sydney. He just cares about the fact that his reputation is on the line. You'd think he would've approached a lawyer with some more experience—No offense. I'm just, I'm worried about him."  
She took a deep breath before carrying on,

"If he finds a way to work around the 'disgrace' to his family name, I'm sure he might not even mind packing Adrian off to jail. He's always treated him like a liability instead of a son."

That last sentence in particular made my heart break. Perhaps because of the emotional resonance that always gripped me when it came to negligent, heedless, inattentive fathers. I could already find myself sympathizing over Adrian's situation. Despite the blow to my credibility, Jill was right. Nathan Ivashkov was an affluent man, if he was really so concerned about his son's fate, he would've found a much more experienced lawyer.  
Also, he could probably procure other ways to pull some strings and save his son this horror. Then it dawned on me—Nathan Ivashkov wasn't trying awfully hard to put this accusation to a rest, he was only stalling it.

_That means he doesn't think of you as a very capable lawyer.  
_A pang of anger rose in my chest.

"Are you trying to tell me that if his father finds a way to savoir his acclaim, he'll drop the whole thing and allow his son to rot in a jail cell?"

The thought itself made me sick. I would never come to terms with how someone could be so spiteful towards their own child. My father, of course, was not competing for any Father of the year titles, but if what Jill was saying was true, it painted Nathan Ivashkov in a very sleazy light.

This could turn the case on its heels and make it that much more arduous for Adrian to be proven innocent.

She nodded grimly, "It's a possibility I don't think we can rule out."  
She sighed, tucking a curly strand behind her ear.

"Adrian told me that you were really nice about all of this, and that he trusts that you'll be able to help him with this case. I don't want to sound mean, but I just hope you aren't giving him any false hope. He's been through a lot and he doesn't deserve that. I know lawyers, and, well...They aren't always the most humble people."

The comment stung a little, especially coming from this petite girl, but somehow, I could see her point of view in all this. I still wasn't sure how she was related to Adrian, but her sincerity was palpable. She really did seem to care about him.

"I really _do_ want to help him, Jill. Like you, I don't think he's capable of murder. But I'll give it to you straight, that isn't enough. The law will find him guilty regardless of what we believe. There's just too much working against him right now, but we're trying. Believe me, we're striving to find any piece of useful information—anything at all, that can help plead his case and maybe even lead us closer to the true culprit."

_So much so that we're planning to sneak into the victim's house tonight.  
_Of course, I left that part out.

Jill was still tense, but she seemed to relax a little at this.  
She smiled,

"He told me you were different than the others."

After a little more discussing, Jill started to get up. "I should get going; I don't want to be late for school."

I stared at her in dismay, "You go to school?"

At first, Jill didn't seem to understand the subtext in my words, but there was a sudden flash of understanding in her eyes and she blushed.

"No, no—it's, uh...It's not like that. Sure, Adrian's really cute and stuff but... He's like, well, he's my step brother."

I froze. Adrian had never mentioned a step sister to me. But then again, why would he?  
I was just his lawyer. I didn't know why I kept forgetting that.

"Oh, wow. That's uh...Unexpected but..."

It was very rare for me to be at a loss for words. I felt the need to give myself a good thrashing for that later on.

Jill smiled again, "No biggie. Lots of people confuse us for something like that. It's because he's…well, it's because he's Adrian."  
I frowned, today was apparently not a good day for my brain.

"What do you mean?"

She shrugged my question off and started to turn on her heel, but then came to a halt right in front of my door very abruptly. She turned around for a brief second,

"You have my number now. Call me and keep me updated, I know that you don't have any need to do any of this. It's clearly not in your job description. But...I appreciate it—_he _appreciates it, more than you know."

All I could do was nod along at that, still feeling that numbing brain freeze looming on.

"I know what you probably think of me. I'm a stupid kid who doesn't know what she's talking about. I get that. But I'm really just trying to look out for Adrian. He doesn't have a lot of people watching his back, you know. And it's just so unfair. You wouldn't believe the things he's been through."

I was still feeling that strange sensation gripping every nerve in my body. My intuition was silently pleading I bolt—She was right, this was certainly not my job!  
I didn't even have to worry about justice if I didn't want to. I could drag myself out of this sticky situation right now before I was in too deep. But for once, I didn't give in to those feelings. I threw caution away and decided to do what's right. Maybe the path to doing what's right was going to be a slippery slope, but I'd be helping someone at the end of it all.

"Enlighten me." I muttered, my mouth defying my brain which was such a rare occurrence that even my brain seemed to stop to ponder this. She looked around as if to make sure the walls weren't listening in; even though we were alone in the room.

"Well, for a cherry on the top of his pile of problems, his ex-girlfriend, Rose Hathaway, dumped him for another guy around two-three months ago. He was in love with her, Sydney. He would've done anything for her. He was in over his head, of course, because the girl was clearly in love with someone else, but he kept dodging the signs. And, he just became miserable after that. He drank more than usual. Smoked more than usual. His credit card bills were getting higher; he's just a mess on the inside."

I was completely dumbfounded. It was like Jill was literally experiencing his pain first-hand. She had this faraway look in her eyes, filled with grief, sympathy and unadulterated kindness. I couldn't even bring myself to look.

I'd never pegged Adrian as someone who was sensitive, but then I remembered my own words, looks can be deceiving. Was it all just an act? Was Adrian's whole haughty, presumptuous persona just a facade?

It seemed like there was a real person hidden underneath all of that.

I pushed the ruminating thoughts away.  
"That's horrible." For once, I actually meant my words.

Jill nodded, still looking a little uneasy, but the color returned to her cheeks.  
"So please, let me in on your case. I'll really appreciate it. And Sydney? I beg you. Don't tell him I came to visit you. This never happened. If he finds out, god, he'll kill me! Just—"  
I smiled, "Relax, Jill," I chided, "These lips are sealed."

She shot me one last grateful look and stepped out of the hotel room.  
"Uh, Jill?" I had one more question to ask her, it had been bothering me ever since she'd showed up.

"How did you find me?"

"Some guy called Keith Darnell. That's whose number they gave me. He told me really good things about you; he even recommended I visit you."

After dropping that bomb, she promptly walked off as I gawked after her.

**A/N: So, what do you guys think? I had to find a way to squeeze Jill into the story because I really like her and I enjoy her dynamic with Adrian. Let's just say this won't be her last appearance. :)**

**xxxx**


	10. 9: The Ghoul Next Door

**A/N: This chapter was fun to write and is a necessary milestone that'll aid in Adrian and Sydney's relationship in getting stronger. I'll keep the updates as frequent as possible since the next chapter is pretty small and doesn't need much editing.**

**Enjoy! {P,S I'm not saying that reviews will make me update any faster but it's worthy of a go…}**

* * *

CHAPTER NINE

The Ghoul Next Door

You know how in horror movies it's the blonde girl who always gets killed first?

While the feminist in me disapproved, I wasn't going to rule out the possibility of that exact thing happening to me. My chest felt heavy with dread as I waited for Adrian. I was parked by his apartment, and almost hoped that he would be a no show.  
_  
Was I really doing this? Planning to break into someone's house? Especially someone who was dead? _There were rules against this sort of thing. It was funny, if someone would've told me that I was about to break and enter into some dead man's house in the middle of the night—an act that could land me jail time, I would've laughed in their face. But now, there was no humor to it. I was doing this.

I silently prayed Adrian wouldn't come so I could change my mind and drive off. It was a futile effort, and a little too late. I caught sight of him. He was wearing a bright blue shirt and black jeans; he also wore shoes that were certainly not made for running. He was equipped with a backpack and I didn't even want to begin to consider what could be inside of that. I took a deep breath as I unlocked the car door for him.

"Evening, Sage." He muttered. As he got in, Latte was instantly replenished with the strong scent of his overly expensive cologne. "Seatbelt," I chided as I took yet another deep breath and started up the engine. He rolled his eyes but did as I told.

_Relax, Sydney. Remember why you're doing this—it's for the greater good. Maybe you'll catch something the police didn't. Maybe you'll spare the life of an innocent, find the real killer, achieve great academic success and excel in the field of Law._

That was thinking too far ahead, but the glamorous thoughts kept me in check for now.

"Wow, Sage. This must be the first time I haven't seen you in a skirt. Is that a personal record of some kind?" Adrian said, bursting me out of my bubble.

I scoffed, "And look at you. Way to blend in."  
Adrian reciprocated with an innocent smile and wide eyes,

"What are you talking about?"  
He mocked, as if he was clueless.

"We are breaking into someone's house! We don't want to get caught. Your bright colours don't exactly scream subtle."  
"Oh," He flashed me a sheepish grin, "I'll be sure to alert the Fashion police about your issue."

I glared at him. How he could joke at such a crucial moment I wouldn't understand. Wasn't he nervous? I was about to peel my face off. "Oh, chill. We'll be fine, and for the record, an outfit like yours is like walking around wearing a billboard that spells out 'I'm shady as hell, arrest me.'" I frowned down at my clothes. I was wearing a black tank top and a black hoodie that I'd borrowed from Julia; I'd also worn black track pants. I thought that black would help me blend in with the shadows.

My black was dull in contrast to Adrian's striking blue.

"What? Black establishes fear and intimidation." I muttered defensively.

"Yes. The gods themselves do tremble." Adrian derided.

I shook my head, exasperated. "I'm sorry, I actually haven't done something illegal before."

"There's a shocker," He deadpanned.

I shot him a death stare. Adrian laughed, "I'm there, Sage. You don't have to worry. This is going to be fun."

I took a deep breath as I began to drive. "Yes, you're my knight in shining armor."  
I responded dryly. Then I turned around and tilted my head at him,

"Hey, if this blows up in our faces, we could be cell mates."

xxxxx

_What had I gotten myself into?_

Lee's house could have been a number one contender in a Haunted House contest. I shuddered as I got a better view.

Standing some 20 yards back from the street, guarded by black steel railings, stood the derelict, neglected old house with its boarded ground floor windows and smashed first floor panes. There was a cold, musty damp smell about the place standing amidst a gloomy backdrop of blackened chimney pots in the dim light of a half moon. I wondered if Lee had any neighbors, what was it like living next to a 'haunted' mansion? I pushed the silly thought away. We had to enter from the backdoor, even though nobody was around—I wasn't ready to take the risk.

I straddled the gate, which was cold to the touch. After which I made my way along a path so overgrown with weeds that they seemed to be reaching out to me. I could feel Adrian close behind me.

"I'm pretty sure I saw this very house in a Scooby Doo picture book once." Adrian mused; I hit him in the arm. "Well, Ow." He muttered, in mock pain.

"Don't be so loud!" I coaxed, whispering as a mist began hovering around my knees and eeriness chilled my very bones. A large whether beaten door stood in front of us. "We have to go around the back," I determined. I'd gotten the details of the house from the files that Nathan Ivashkov had given me.

But I still couldn't believe it. Sure, it was a house owned by a man who was dead. That doesn't mean I had expected it to be so ironically...creepy.

Adrian grabbed my arm as we made our way around the hedges towards the back. A barbed wire fence was blocking the pathway. Adrian stood next to me and sighed. "I guess we've got to get our hands dirty. Ever gone rock-climbing, Sage?"

I rolled my eyes, "Don't worry about me. Can _you_ handle it?" He seemed to take that as a challenge and began to make his way up the barbed fence.

"Be careful!" I muttered, hoping there weren't any Hollywood style booby traps lying in wait. Surprisingly, he made his way to the top and twisted his neck to grin in triumph at me, just before losing his grip and plummeting to the ground on the other side of the fence.

"Adrian!" I exclaimed, running towards the fence to get a better look. "You okay?" I grimaced, still unable to see him, the giant fence blocking him completely.

"I'll survive." He muttered, but he sounded like he was in pain. Quickly but cautiously, I began to climb the fence, glad that I'd chosen comfortable track pants after all. The shoes I'd picked out were also perfect for climbing. They supported the wires and I managed to climb up and down the fence successfully. Unfortunately, my hands hurt from the prickly spires. I bore the pain and ran to Adrian's side; he was lying flat on his back. I thanked our lucky stars when I realized there was no blood. He winced, but I managed to help him stand up. He swung an arm around me and I helped him walk towards the back entrance. "You sure you can still walk?" I asked, concerned.

He flashed me a devil-may-care smile. "I'm alright, I swear."  
"So what were you saying about rock-climbing?" I joked, and he chuckled just a little, then winced and clutched his side. "Okay, no need to get nasty, Sage."

I smiled then frowned at him, "You really look like your still in pain," "Hey," Adrian grumbled, "Now you're bruising my ego as well as my manhood."  
I shrugged and gingerly took his hand off the support of my shoulders. To my surprise, he stood erect and didn't crumple to the ground. When I was sure he was okay, we made our way inside.

If the outside of the house was macabre, the inside was downright dreadful. A cold shudder trickled down my spine; we were immediately welcomed by somber portraits staring at us from behind layers of dust, seemingly penetrating my entire being. Cold, hesitant light streamed in through a cracked window, casting eerie shadows on the walls. A spiral staircase led to rooms upstairs. "You have got to be kidding me," Adrian spoke softly from behind me.

I had to admit; even I was left a little aghast. "Have you never been to Lee's house before?" I questioned. Adrian caught up with me and shook his head in denial. "No, but I doubt he lived like Frankenstein."

Adrian was right; the house seemed to be trying too hard to look spooky and unwelcoming. Suddenly, I wondered if it was on purpose. As we walked on, I shone my flashlight towards the dank living room. Of course, nobody was paying the electricity bills anymore. The icy wind blew the dusty shutters against the peeling window frames. A single light globe, long blown, circled lazily on the ceiling. If it were to somehow spring back to life, then it would illuminate a scene of utter emptiness and desolation. The threadbare carpet played host to nothing but an old stuffed chair and an upturned table.

"Wow. Someone call the Ghostbusters." I didn't find Adrian's mockery particularly amusing. Something was dubious about this place. It looked too much like a set-up, too unreal.

I was a factual person. I believed in solid, hard proof. I didn't believe in fairy fables. If something was real, there was evidence behind it. I believed in Science and the laws of Physics, anything that defied that was purely mythical. This is why I refused to buy the unearthly ambiance this place was trying so hard to give off. Suddenly, I heard something. It was a quick sound, and it drowned out all too fast.

I wasn't sure if Adrian had even caught it, but I had. It was the sound of footsteps.

I gasped, pushing Adrian to the wall behind the sole chair. "What is it?" Adrian asked, evidently caught off guard.

"We're not alone."  
"_What?"  
_"There is someone else in this house. Someone who's gone to great lengths to keep people off this property. They're obviously hiding something."  
"Okay, back up, Sage. Are you trying to say this whole _Goosebumps _vibe is just a ruse?"  
I nodded grimly, "I think so. And they can't know we're here."  
"Well that's just grand. I was hoping we'd catch a ghost on camera and become—"  
"Shh!" I clasped my hand over his mouth.

In doing so, I had to press my body right up against his. Thankfully, he got the message, but he was still Adrian Ivashkov and I didn't trust him to keep quiet for too long, so I let my hand remain there.

I knew that I was trying to dodge someone who could possibly be the killer, but the invigorating smell of Adrian's perfume was very distracting. So was his strong body pushed up right against me. I was a little too aware of our proximity. I could feel him breathe beneath my palm, his breath was warm against my skin. His build and those eyes were also apparently sending sparks of electricity all over my body.

When I'd first met Adrian, I'd found it ridiculous how girls kept falling into his trap. But I could almost see what they saw in him now. Adrian wasn't the lost cause I'd conjectured him to be. He was passionate, funny and he had great hair.

Plus...There was _something_ about him.

He liked a challenge, he didn't overthink things like I often did, and those brave instincts that I knew were present in him only revitalized his charisma.

His emerald eyes were vigilant and aware, he was looking at me, and it almost felt like he could see through my soul. We had to hold on to each other for support, even if one of us tripped there was a chance we'd be heard. We had to be covert.

He held me right back, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist. Déjà vu from our 'sensuous dance' hit me like a wave of nausea. I could feel the goosebumps on my body rising, and my heartbeat pacing.

I just prayed he couldn't feel it, too. We were still crammed together behind the arm chair, and I couldn't help but assess how comfortable I'd seemed to get with him over the span of barely a few days. The sound of the footsteps getting dangerously louder shook me out of my Adrian admiring. Slowly, he caught hold of my hand and peeled it off his mouth. But he made no sudden movements or sounds after.

A figure clad in black emerged from the shadows.

I couldn't quite catch a glimpse of his face. I scoffed internally when I realized it was because the person was wearing a black hoodie that mirrored my own. Adrian had been right after all.

Suddenly, my throat felt dry and my nerves froze up. I couldn't see much, but I noticed that the unspecified was wielding something in their right hand. It was a gun.

It took every fiber of my being to keep from screaming. I clutched Adrian's hand extremely tight, almost sinking my nails into his skin. When it dawned over me what I was doing, I instantly let go. Adrian's expression was a mix of confusion and anxiousness, but then, his eyes widened. He was peering at the figure behind me, he'd seen it too.

His grip around me tightened just a little bit.

The person was looking for something, they still held the gun in one hand, but was constantly shifting their head back and forth. A few dreaded seconds later,  
the incognito trudged upstairs. Adrian's grip faltered, but he didn't let go of me. He brought his head down just a little; and his lips briefly hovered over my ear, his warm breath now tickling my earlobe.

"We have to get the hell out of here." He whispered cautiously.

I tried to relax, but my emotions and thoughts were on overdrive. If we left this place, we'd probably blow the one chance we had at proving Adrian innocent.  
There could be all sorts of clues here—not to mention the killer themselves. They were obviously hiding something here. It could probably be hard evidence against them.

On the other hand, the killer had a gun. This wasn't safe, and now our lives were in ostensible danger. I'd seen what had been done to poor Lee's face. I cringed at the thought. This killer was capable of unspeakable cruelty, what were the odds that we didn't end up being stuck with the same fate that Lee had?

I tried to calm my racing nerves, and looked up at Adrian's face and nodded. Even if I could risk my own life to help aid the case, I couldn't put him in danger too.

Apparently, the doubt in my eyes was visible. His next words were five by five. "No Sydney. Don't you even think of it."  
I felt my stomach sink. _How did he know?_

Adrian never called me by my first name, he must be gravely serious. I wanted to protest—but there was no time.

I did a quick sweep of the place with as much proximity my eyes could cover. When it looked like the coast was clear, I made my move. Gingerly, I took a few soft steps away from the comfort of the corner, and towards the door.

When nothing happened, and nobody attacked me, I decided that it was safe to make our move. I nodded at Adrian. He was about to follow me out when I heard the sound of a gunshot. I screamed loudly, it probably echoed throughout the entire neighborhood. The gun toting psycho was right behind me.

I checked my body for any piercing holes almost instantly, before realizing that the gunshot had been fired in the air.

Adrian came bolting out. "Don't touch her!" He yelled.

I winced; this was not the time for him to be my brave knight.

Panic surged through me, I wanted to cry for help, and I wanted to run. I also wanted to scold myself for being dragged into such an ordeal in the first place. This was far from a lawyer's job. Irresponsibility was something I'd kept away from my whole life.  
I should have known better.

These things always had repercussions.

"Stay where you are. Any sudden movements and I'll shoot." I couldn't make out if the voice was female or male. They were masking it on purpose, trying to sound robotic and foreboding. Whatever it was, it was working.

As much as I wanted to solve this case, I also didn't want to die. A chill ran down my spine and I raised my hands up in surrender. Adrian followed my lead, his eyes never leaving me. I was fumbling to find the right thing to say in such a dire situation. I hadn't ever had a gun pointed at me before, so I was a little rusty.

"Wha—What do you want?" My voice came out squeakier than I'd attempted.

Our attacker didn't bother to grace us with an answer. I didn't even have the chance to blink an eye, the person in black lunged at me.  
For once, I didn't have the time to comprehend what was happening and form a logical plan.

I didn't even scream because I was completely blank for a few seconds. My ambusher had an advantage, the element of surprise.

I knew that I shouldn't have been caught off guard. I should have expected this. It was too late now. He tackled me; I assumed it was a male because the weight of their body was heavy. Strong arms grabbed my wrists as I wriggled underneath him, struggling to get free. "Sydney!" Adrian's voice was echoed through the sequestered house.

I was still pinned to the floor; my wrists ached due to the exerted pressure.

_Think, Sydney, think. Battle strategies, what is the best way to prevail in a fight where your opponent is bigger and stronger than you?_

I wasn't coming up with a lot of solutions. My mind was threatening to stop working again.

Most of my thoughts were swallowed by panic and fear.

One gloved hand reached out and thrust itself into the right side of my jaw. The abrupt surge of blinding pain left no room for any train of thought.

My vision cleared a few seconds later. From my peripheral, I noticed Adrian was making a move. I wanted to yell out at him, to warn him not to, but my voice deceived me. He grabbed the shoulders of my opposer and pushed him aside with force I didn't know he had. Our opponent did seem taken aback, but he recovered remarkably fast.

I stumbled, but managed to get back on my feet. My jaw was still throbbing, yet I didn't have time to worry about that. The attacker still had a gun.  
Suddenly, he pointed it at Adrian and I shrieked.

For the briefest of seconds, I thought he was going to shoot him. But whatever he was going to do, Adrian beat him to it. At that very moment, he charged at the killer.

He leapt onto him and they wrestled each other for a few dangerously long seconds. Adrian was still grappling with our opposer, but managed to speak between punches, "See if you can find anything important...Hurry!"

For a second, I froze. But after a few moments of hesitation, I began to search the living room. I didn't get very far, I heard a large thumping noise and when I turned around the attacker had succeeded to knock Adrian out. I tried not to wince at how horrible and pale he looked.

Luckily, I had managed to grab a match box that had been under the upturned table. It had barely four sticks left and I wasn't sure how old it was or whether it would work, but I would just have to use it in case things got worse. Our opponent was wearing a polyester jacket; which was basically very flammable material. I thrust the packet of matches into my pocket before turning around.

The disguised man was only a few steps away. He looked up and registered what I was doing before charging after me.

My eyes weren't on him, though. In his haste, my attacker hadn't bothered to grab his gun which was lying by Adrian's foot.

_ If I could just get my hands on it..._

My offender blocked my path, though, attempting to pin me down and probably punch me again. I dodged his first two reflexes, ducking and jumping simultaneously.

That was pure luck due to rapid instincts.

But I knew that I couldn't keep this up, hand to hand combat was not in my area of expertise.

He pounced once more, grabbing my hair and twisting it. I swung out of his grip but it took a lot of clawing, scratching and threshing. I twirled around, kicked him in the limbs, and screamed when it hurt me more than it hurt him. My toes pulsated with pain. Still, I couldn't give up now.

I put into action anything that came to mind, I grabbed his hand and bit into it. I had to dig very deep to get past the glove's material, but I must have caused him at least a significant amount of pain because he stumbled and retorted a few steps.

In his few seconds of confusion, I had the upper hand.

I dashed towards the gun and picked it up. I could feel my hands trembling as I took a few steps towards my opposer who had managed to stand up again. Hot tears were prickling my eyes, and I didn't know whether they were tears of pain, frustration or fear. Probably all of the above.  
My shaky hands pointed the gun right at his chest.

"To-Touch me again and...I'll...Shoot you..." I didn't want to stammer, but I was petrified.

My attacker seemed to register this, in the matter of a few seconds; he ran over to the window, pulled it up and jumped out. The window made a screeching sound as it creaked open. All he left behind was a wave of dust that made me cough and sneeze.

Our ambusher was gone within seconds, I ran towards the window to get a better look, but he'd blended into the night.

It was almost like he had disappeared.

My facade faltered and I dropped the gun to the floor.

"Adrian," I ran to his side, and my eyes widened in horror.  
His t-shirt was soaked with blood, and he was still unconscious.

Our attacker had prevailed after all.

* * *

**A/N: Please review and feed my insecure ego =)**

**xxx**


	11. 10: Shattered Hearts & Broken Bone

**A/N: This is another fairly small chapter, but I'm hoping the content will make up for it. Thanks for the positive reviews, I'm glad that you guys are liking the story so far. By the way, I'm still having a little trouble with the formatting, so excuse anything that looks slightly messy. **

**P.S RE: CherrySlushLover, Your detailed reviews just made my day! :D Or night, since it's like the middle of the night here &amp; I haven't been getting much sleep. So, thankyou.  
**

**Credits: This is written purely for fun, rights to all things Bloodlines related go to Richelle Mead. I have no affiliation with the author whatsoever. **

**Anyway, without further ado... **

* * *

CHAPTER TEN

Shattered Hearts And Broken Bone

I was pacing. A dozen dismal thoughts revolved around my head.  
The aftermath of the break wasn't boding too well.

To my relief, Adrian hadn't been as severely hurt as I'd thought. The suited anonymous had scratched him with the gun, it had left a scar, sure, but it would heal.

I hadn't taken him to the hospital either. I was educated on the medical procedures that such a wound would require. So I drove us back to his apartment. My thoughts were piling up and it was hard to get a hold on what had just happened. Going into this, I hadn't expected the case to become life threatening.

"Sage?" Adrian was stirring; I put my thoughts on a hold and rushed to his side. I managed to wipe away stray tears while at it, for some reason, I didn't want him to see me looking so vulnerable.

He was lying on his couch, his head rested upright on a pillow. "Did we kick the bad guy's ass?"

"Shh," I said, I knelt beside him and pulled his t-shirt up a little. He glanced down, apparently noticing for the first time that he was hurt.

"That's not pretty," He mumbled. I couldn't understand how Adrian could speak so nonchalantly even at times like these.

There was a scar above his navel that traced down and disappeared by his lower abdomen. It had been bleeding like crazy when I'd first treated it, but it seemed a little better now. Still, for safety measures, I pulled out some medicine from my first aid kit; I always carried emergency supplies with me. It usually came in handy. Of course, I hadn't actually expected to be assaulted. _That _was a bonus. I'd already done some medicating while he'd been out cold. My hands were bloody and scarred, that nauseous feeling returned. He looked at me as I applied some ointment on the affected area.

I think he noticed his blood on my hands, literally, not metaphorically, of course. I felt his stomach muscles inflate under my palms as I finished applying the medicine. I thought that under different circumstances, I would have been fawning over his impressive abs.

I remained quiet, but I could feel his gaze on me and I couldn't help but be extremely uncomfortable.  
I wasn't exactly sure what to say. And for once, it had nothing to do with my social skills. How was I supposed to converse with him now? Was I supposed to ask him something? Because I had a lot of questions.

_How was your first attack experience?  
How does it feel like to survive a gun toting maniac?  
Did your life flash before your eyes?  
_  
But of course, I kept my mouth shut. Surprisingly, he didn't say anything, either. He was probably just as shaken up as I was. Maybe even more. After that, I started to stand up. Adrian was still looking at me in that...perspective way. Suddenly, I felt like a bug under a microscope.

His greens eyes sharply scrutinizing my every move. Finally, I had had enough of the deafening silence.

"So this is what it takes to confound the infamous Adrian Ivashkov, huh." I didn't know why I was the one attempting humor, "I better keep that in mind." Surprisingly enough, this brought a smile to his face. Some of his vex faded.  
"Well, at least I keep to my word, eh? Pushing that guy and fighting him off for you took a boatload of manly responsibility you know."  
I chuckled despite the morbid situation that had presented itself. I smiled back at him, almost glad to see some of his old ruse resurface.

"Thanks for that, by the way. It _really_ was brave. Stupid...but brave."  
Adrian grinned,

"I'm gonna go with brave. And I've got the battle scars to prove it." He pointed at his stomach. I took a deep breath and sat down on the couch next to him. Adrian sighed languidly, "It's a pity though, my very expensive Henley shirt had to be collateral damage."

"Yeah," My voice was dry,  
"Momentous loss."

I phrased my next words very carefully. "It...It doesn't matter, though. It was all a waste."

Adrian made himself more comfortable, managing a sitting position. He turned to me and the half-smile returned. "I wouldn't say a total waste,"  
I looked at him expectantly.  
"What are you saying?"  
He winced at the pain from his wound and pulled something out of his pocket.  
They were two small VHS tapes. I looked at him in awe.

"How…?"

"Whoever our attacker was, I guess he wasn't very bright. I grabbed these from him when we were fighting. I'm not sure if they'll be useful or if it's a clue or not, but I guess there's only one way to find out."

He was insisting I play the tapes and we could figure it out.  
My thoughts were reeling again.

_Should I continue helping him on this case? I mean we almost got killed tonight!  
I don't want to get used to this.  
Someone else is definitely involved in all of this… It's much worse than we initially thought._

I stared down at my battered hands that were still smeared in blood, my black garb on the other hand smelt bad and was also covered in dirt.

Adrian seemed to detect my sour mood, he gently put the tapes down on the table.  
To my uttermost horror, he took my hand and held onto it. His thumb brushed against my bruised, red knuckles. "I can understand if you don't want to help me, Sydney. I can't have you throwing yourself to the lions for me. This is not your job, I don't know why I keep forgetting that."

His words left me a little stunned. They mirrored my earlier thoughts exactly. And there it was again, the use of my full name.

I think I'd gotten used to people using nicknames on me.

Names aside, why did I keep forgetting that I was his lawyer? This was not my job. He was right.  
And yet, I didn't want to back down now. I _couldn't._

I was in this now, his fight was now my fight because I was a dutiful lawyer.  
But no…This was more than a responsibility.

I could feel a personal grudge against the killer coming on. This experience had undoubtedly scarred me for life. This man, whoever he was, had left me rattled to my very core. I could still feel his strong arms on my body, threatening to rip me apart.

Every time I'd attempted to close my eyes since the drive home, I saw him, the incognito clad in black, lunging at me, clawing at my hair with his blood-thirsty hands.

I remembered every single detail of the night.  
How the gun had felt in my hand…like the weight of the world.  
How hard he'd pulled at my hair, the feeling of utter dread that had permeated me.

I knew now what I had to do. I was in too deep already.  
I wondered if the experiences of this night would ever be a distant memory.  
This time, it wasn't for my job, or for qualifications or for Adrian Ivashkov.

It was for me.

"No." I uttered diligently, "He's going to pay for what he did to me. For what he did to you, and to Lee…"

Determination and a rush of adrenaline that I'd never felt before surged through me.  
"I'll live in constant fear until we put a stop to this man, Adrian."

His expression grew soft and…well, if I didn't know any better, I would've said he was wonderstruck.

Something flashed through his eyes, but I wasn't sure what it was.  
He was quiet for several moments before he spoke up again, oddly,  
"You're hurt…"  
"Huh?"  
His raised a hand, and his soft finger trailed down the side of my jaw where I'd been punched. In all the rush and hustle, I'd almost forgotten about that.

"I'll be fine," I assured him, desperately trying not to think about how good the contact made me feel. Adrian shook himself out of his daze, his hand dropping to his side, much to my dismay.

"We should both wash up. Sage. I know this sounds lame but I think you should stay here tonight. I, uh, I'll grab the couch. You can sleep in my bedroom."

I was afraid my eyes would pop out of my head. What was he suggesting?

_Adrian Ivashkov and beds._

That was something I never thought I'd have to expose myself to.  
It was a dangerous combination nonetheless. Sleeping in the same house as him made me uncomfortable.  
To be aware that he would be there…sleeping just inches away from me…

_What did he wear when he slept? Did he wear anything at all?_

I'd once read a book about male hormones in which it had been numerously stated that many boys liked to sleep shirtless.

_Did he sleep shirtless? Did he snore in his sleep?_

The unwelcome Adrian induced thoughts were clogging my brain, and momentarily, I almost forgot the nightmare that had been the untimely events of tonight. And the dreaded butterflies had now returned, except they'd transformed themselves into giant eagles or flying dinosaurs or something of that sort inside my stomach.

Butterflies usually indicated nervousness. Often caused by the release of epinephrine, or adrenaline…In the book about hormones, it had also mentioned this occurred a lot when one had a crush. I was left awestruck by that.

There was no way in hell that I had a crush on Adrian.

I'd just had an increase in adrenaline activity, it was probably charged by that.  
_Yep, nothing to do with Adrian. Nothing at all._

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I realized that I was alone in the room.

"Adrian?"

He trudged out of his room as if on cue, his hair was wet from a recent shower and he'd changed into a clean pair of clothes, too.  
Once again, the room was instantly surrounded by the smell of his perfume. _How long had I been lost in thought? _

"Right here. Sorry, I caught you in one of your power thinking moments so I went ahead and washed up. Since you didn't answer me, I'm going to take the silence as a yes." He walked over to me and his smile vanished.

"Your bed's done. Now go get cleaned up. I'll show you to the bathroom."  
I stared at him, still incredulous. I didn't move an inch from my seat.

For some reason, his attitude was irritating me.

"I'm fine to drive home." I muttered somberly, glancing away from him.  
He made a sound that was a scoff interlaced with a chuckle.  
He came a few steps closer, leaning down towards me,

"Looking like _that_? You'll scare the children, Sage."  
I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I don't have anything else to put on at the moment. Do I?"  
Adrian shrugged, "I'll lend you something. You'll be fine."

I was flustered. I had a very select choice when it came to apparel and didn't appreciate being told to wear his clothes.  
Despite my sudden annoyance towards him, he wasn't completely wrong.

I couldn't go out at this time of night looking like I'd just massacred a small mid-western family. I sighed, giving up and shaking my head in indignation.

Between gritted teeth I muttered a raspy approval. His smug smile caught me off guard.  
I was trying to be mad at him, but it was proving to be harder than I thought.

Adrian wasn't fazed by my silly tantrum. Under different circumstances, I would've been impressed.

I decided I had to try a more frigid approach. I shot off the couch and took a step closer to him,  
I was attempting to get right into his face so he could feel the brunt of my words.

There was literally nothing but an inch keeping us apart now.

"Just for the record. This is not a favor. It's a job you know. We're not exchanging friendship bracelets." I blabbed. Adrian still didn't seem to buy it.  
"I'll stop braiding." He deadpanned.

For a short unnerving moment, we stared at each other with determined expressions.  
To an unsuspecting observer, it would look as though we were playing a game to see who blinked first by the way we were staring each other down.

I was the first one to waver.

I raised my arms in annoyance and began to march off,  
but his next words stopped me dead in my tracks.

"Don't bullshit a bullshitter, Sage."

I turned around, "Excuse me?"  
My voice was sharp.

"It's okay to need help sometimes. You don't always have to be the captain of the ship. You're shaken up, I can see it, even if you can't. You shouldn't be driving home this late at night in that condition. I know you hate this, and believe me, I'm not loving it either, but if you really want this to work, you have to learn to let go a little."

Somewhere inside me, the impact of his words hit really close to home. _A little too close._  
It was all true, I was scared. Terrified, actually. This was foreign territory for me.

I kept feeling how eerily Adrian could somehow see right through me.

It felt like an invasion of my personal space and my most private thoughts. And it was going against everything I believed in.  
For once, something was taking priority over my duties as a lawyer.  
I had broken the rules and was continually doing so. My father would have had a stroke if he knew what I'd been upto recently.

I didn't like where my friendship (or whatever you'd call it) with Adrian was headed.  
I didn't like what this meant for me.  
I didn't like the direction this case was going in either.  
Like it was leading me to my ultimate doom.

My next words sounded timid,  
"What do you mean?"

"You have to trust me."

There was a malicious gleam in his eye. Adrian then walked over and handed me an ice pack for my jaw, and a long warm shirt. Then he turned his back towards me with a quick flash of a breathtaking smile.

"Good night, Sage."

He sauntered past me, leaving me stunned.  
_The world is back to normal. Stop staring. Start breathing._

* * *

**A/N: So yeah, as I said, small chapter. Anyway, I hope you guys like it, the next chapter's got some good stuff &amp; deals with tons of Sydrian UST.**

**P.S Reviews make xoeternalflamexo a happy writer ;)**


	12. 11: Hate Is Safer Than Love

**A/N: Longer chapter than usual. Tons of Sydrian UST. So I was actually looking forward to post this one. To the reviewer who asked about Eddie and Trey, I love them too, and I really wish I could include them in the story somehow but since this is pure AU and Sydney and Adrian don't know them here it was a little hard to find a way to weave them in. I hope this doesn't discourage you from reading the story ahead, though.**

**However, for those of you who DO enjoy my story &amp; really like other characters like Angeline, Trey, Eddie, I'm currently writing another Sydrian fanfiction that I'm planning to post sometime soon and they're all there in it. :D**

**Credits: This is written purely for fun, rights to all things Bloodlines related go to Richelle Mead. I have no affiliation with the author whatsoever.**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Hate is Safer Than Love

I couldn't sleep that night.

There was too much on my mind, and like I had foretold, I kept seeing the black figure lunging at me when I closed my eyes. I could still feel it. The weight of the gun in my hands.  
I remembered exactly how cold it had been under my fingertips. It terrified me. Everytime I looked down at my hands, I half expected them to be bruised and bloody.

It was all in my head.

I'd read up plenty about hallucinations, anxiety and forms of PTSD. I suspected that was exactly what was happening to me. I was supposed to be stronger than this, at least after living under the care of Jared the Relentless I should be able to take something like this. I could practically imagine what my father would say to me, " Get. Over .It." Three simple words that were much easier said than done.

He didn't understand, though. Traumatic events often lead to the mind conjuring up all kinds of insane things. I pulled the warm covers I had wrapped around me a little closer to my chin. Adrian's shirt was surprisingly comfortable to sleep in, and it was bathed in his scent and smelt exactly like him. When I finally decided that trying to sleep was going to be impossible, I decided to check the time on the wall clock. _5.30 am. Morning at last._

After neatly folding the blankets and doing the bed so it wasn't as messy as the rest of his house, I jumped out of bed and headed to the living room. I decided I could sit down and prepare a statistical analysis of all the alibis, motives and clues we'd gathered. Working on something important always gave me a strange peace of mind. I also desperately wanted to play those tapes Adrian had collected.

I felt a little self-conscious walking out in absolutely nothing but Adrian's shirt, it fell just a little above my knees. I wasn't ashamed of wearing skirts of course, but his shirt made me feel…exposed, naked, even. I comforted myself with the assumption that Adrian would still be sleeping at this time. He didn't appear to be an early riser.

When I stepped out I skidded to a stop so fast I half expected to yield sparks.  
Adrian was awake, and he was strumming his guitar on the couch. He hadn't noticed me yet because his eyes were closed. I needed a coffee fix and the coffee maker was in the kitchen, which meant I'd have to get past him, and I certainly didn't want him to see me like this. Still, I'd have to conjure up the bravado and make the stride.

I was ready to do just about anything for coffee, even though I looked like a zombie in the mornings and was still haunted by the fact that I was clad in absolutely nothing but Adrian's shirt. I took a deep breath and finally made my move.

I took a few cautious steps towards the kitchen and stopped again to study him. I shouldn't have stopped of course, but my mind was planning on betraying me.

He looked lost in deep thought, absorbed in his tune that he played was notably pleasant to my ears, soothing too. It was at variance from the usual 'music' that blasted through his apartment. I admired the way his fingers strung the guitar strings, with so much gentle ease, it probably came to him automatically.  
_  
What else are his fingers good for?_  
_Stop it, Sydney! Bad! Bad thoughts!  
_  
I was thankful for the sane part of my brain.

Morning sunlight shone through the window in front of him and cast a light on half of his face,  
the illuminated side of it caused him to look almost…majestic.

He was beautiful.

His hair looked almost golden in the sunlight, falling across a light-skinned face, and pale eyelids flashed through the haphazard strands. His jaw was firm and strong, and his nose long but slightly crooked, like it had been broken and left to its imperfections.  
His eyes suddenly opened and I almost tripped on the counter, I hadn't wanted him to see me scrutinizing him.

There was an odd lightness about his emerald eyes, though, and a small curve to his lips, as if there were something terribly funny only he knew the answer to, and it was that brief, wicked glance I caught that said maybe he hadn't broken it, but he knew what it looked like. And he liked that. The hint of danger. Made him seem more like something he wasn't.

_How on earth had he known I was admiring his nose?  
(…And the rest of him)  
_  
"Morning," He muttered, I swiftly turned away and began to work the coffee maker with trembling fingers."How did you sleep?" He asked.

"I didn't sleep at all, actually." I kept the unease out of my tone the best that I could.

He seemed amused by this,"Nor did I. Such a pity,"  
"What's a pity?"  
"Nevermind."

I made the coffee and handed him a cup, too. I'd had to wash those cups three times before using them, earlier they'd looked like seventeen different types of bacteria had grown on them. I sat down on the couch opposite to his and eyed his notepad and pencil that lay on the table in front of him.

"Nice guitar. What kind is it?" I asked, attempting small talk before getting down to business.  
Adrian looked insulted,

"What kind? What _kind_, Sage? This is, like, the Holy Grail of guitars."

After that he launched into a fairly uninteresting speech about guitars. I was a person who was open to learning new things, but I would've preferred something like Latin verbs or historian architecture or the periodic table, not information about the world's best guitar.

I picked up his notepad and pencil while he was still educating me about guitars. I decided I could begin drawing my analysis now. It was about time I got some work done. Plus, it would keep dirty, lusty, stupid thoughts away. He abruptly stopped speaking.

"I'm going to perform a Statistical Analysis, don't mind if I use this." I said promptly.  
It was when I finally gave the notepad a second look that I realized why Adrian had stiffened up. His notepad was abounded with sketches. They were intricate and complicated, some of them even _I_ couldn't figure out. It was rare that something boggled my mind, so when it did, I was impressed. I could count the amount of people who could astonish me on my right hand. But these sketches were…breathtaking.

There was a sketch of a man being consumed by the shadows, it was shaded in just the right places and done almost brilliantly. And a sketch of a majestic and dangerous looking dragon—and even one of bold, piercing eyes that looked like they belonged to a girl.  
A pang erupted in my chest.  
_  
Who's eyes was he drawing?  
Is there a girl in his life?_

I pushed those thoughts away, of course there were plenty of girls in his life.

"Once again you have unleashed your peskiness, Sage. Those are off-limits."

Behind the snark, I could tell that Adrian was uncomfortable about me going through his work. It was his defense mechanism. I knew how it felt to want to keep some things private, I hadn't meant to invade his privacy. But I couldn't help but be enraptured by his incredibly detailed, artsy, and enigmatic drawings.

If Julia were here she would've been worshiping Adrian by now.

She'd once told me that your average male strumming a guitar was like a mating call to girls.

She'd explained she had read that in one of her dating books, I made a mental note that I had to call up Julia later and ask her the name of the book so I could buy it online and read it.

_And he paints too! He's the complete package.  
He's good looking, funny, passionate and looks like a Ken doll._

God, he's like the apple from the forbidden tree.

I shuddered at my own thoughts; outraged by the audacity of part of my brain to accuse me of being attracted to Adrian Ivashkov. Sometimes, I seriously thought I had a Valley Girl stuck in some part of my head. It was like a punishment from the Powers that Be.

I mean sure, he's all of those things, but that doesn't change the fact that he's off limits.

And even if he wasn't, he isn't my type of a guy. Brayden, now that's a man more my speed, he challenges me and understands me. I had always wanted a relationship with someone who could understand my intellectual jokes and appreciate them instead of mocking them.

I didn't belong with inferior minds.

_Yeah, and your relationship with Brayden is going swell, isn't it?  
He hasn't even called you._

And I've read enough novels to know that talking genetic algorithms and the Morse code isn't exactly Grande Romanza.

Okay, so my relationship with Brayden isn't romantic, but it's smart.

What's wrong with smart?

Adrian is insufferable, unpredictable and subversive.  
_He isn't the guy for you. Get that through your thick head, Sydney.  
You are here for business and only business.  
_  
Finally, I forced myself out of my thoughts and realized Adrian was still expecting an answer. "I'm sorry. You haven't ever shown these to anyone before, have you? They're amazing, I didn't know you liked to draw."

The surprises just kept on coming with Adrian Ivashkov. I loved the fact that he was passionate and creative. It was causing my brain to explode.

_Adrian, bad. Brayden, good. _

"Yeah, I draw and paint a little. It's no big deal, I don't take it too seriously,  
it's just something I do." I thought of those beautiful eyes he'd drawn and reconsidered,  
"Well, you should think of taking it seriously. You are really good. I'd go as far as saying you are endowed."

He was looking at me again, in that unsettling dazed way. If Julia were here now, she would have said he looked smitten. I dismissed the fuzzy feeling that was forming in the pit of my stomach.

I had had enough of those damned (oops!) butterflies to last a lifetime.

"I'll take your word for it." He said, finally, blinking out of his entrancement.  
I sighed in relief, feeling more self-conscious than ever. I was still wearing his shirt, and didn't like the way he was looking at me.

So I did the only thing that I knew would get my mind off of him and keep me distracted.

"Adrian, I'm going to perform a statistical analysis. I'll basically break down all the key components of our case, the alibis, the motives and the suspects—the list of people that could be involved with the murder so that we can formulate a solid plan and know exactly how to go forward."

He stood up and stretched a little, still wincing from the pain of last night's bruise.  
"So how are we going to play this?"

"_We_ aren't going to _play_ anything. I'll do my job, all you have to do is try not to disturb me."  
Adrian looked miffed, he shrugged,

"Analyze, tiny blonde one. Analyze like the wind!"

I scoffed, "Don't call me that."

When I was almost done with my work, I decided it was time we took a look at those tapes. Once we did that, I would be able to successfully conclude the data.

Adrian had been in his own world again, while I'd been busy with compiling the data, he'd been playing his guitar, sketching some more, and listening to loud music on his iPod which I could hear from two couches away.

"We good to go?" Adrian asked.  
I shook my head, "There's one last thing to do."

_"I know what I did was wrong."  
PAUSE.  
"I DO love her! I still do! It was all just a stupid mistake.  
I've talked to her about it, I swear."_  
PAUSE.  
_"Why does it matter so much to you anyway?"  
_PAUSE.  
_"She will never love you! She never did. It was always me!"_  
PAUSE.  
PAUSE.  
_"I'm sorry. But it's time you grow up and move on."  
_PAUSE.  
_"It's been years for god's sake!"_  
PAUSE.  
*sounds of wrestling*  
_"Dude, stop!"  
_PAUSE.  
_"Was that a threat?"  
_PAUSE.  
PAUSE.  
_"You're out of your mind. You need to sit down and take a breath."  
_PAUSE.  
_"I KNOW what I did."  
_PAUSE.  
_"You are not serious."  
_PAUSE.  
PAUSE.  
*sounds of footsteps*  
_"Put that down! Put it down or I'll call…I'll call the police!"  
_PAUSE.  
PAUSE.  
*more sounds of struggle*  
_"What has gotten into you, man?"  
_PAUSE.  
_"Stop!"  
_PAUSE.  
PAUSE.  
_"SHUT UP."  
_PAUSE.  
*sound of glass shattering to the floor*  
PAUSE.  
_"I'm sorry, man. You…You left me no choice.  
_PAUSE.  
PAUSE.  
_"You are a worthless little piece of shit."_

xxxxx

For a few unnerving moments after the tape was over, Adrian and I just sat there in shock.

He didn't even bother with any snide commentary, and when that happened,  
there was _definitely_ something wrong.

The tape had turned out to be a detrimental clue. The voice that was being played over belonged to Lee, and he'd obviously been talking to someone, but the killer had carefully cropped out the second person's voice. It was frustrating. The two people on the tape had clearly gotten into a fight over a girl. A fight that sounded physical.

Lucky for us, I had an idea or two about who it was. The factor about this that excited me so much was that this could help build Adrian's case. He actually had a shot! Up until now, we'd been putting a lot on blind hope. But now—now we had something solid, something tangible that I could deal with.

_Then you could get over with this case and all would be right in the world again._

I turned over to look at Adrian and my delight dwindled. A frown drooped on his face and his eyes that usually looked like deep endless fields of green now just looked dim and unfocused.

I knew that I was going to regret this later, but I shut the laptop off and gingerly rested my palm on his shoulder. He still wouldn't look up. I mustered a tone as gentle as humanly possible, "Adrian,"

I could tell he was trying to collect his thoughts, he still didn't look at me, his head was bent down. "Adrian, we've got proof. And I think this might've just lead us to the real killer! This is a good thing."

I wanted to sound more comforting, more compassionate, but I just didn't understand why he was so put off. Maybe it was just because I was so bad with people, because perhaps Adrian did have a legit reason to be upset that I couldn't quite latch onto.  
It was one of my less admirable traits.

Adrian did reciprocate this time, and his gaze cleared. He still held onto the frown, but at least he was thinking straight. His head bent to the side so that he could get a proper look at me, his eyes fell on my hand that was still firmly planted on his shoulder. Instantly, I felt my cheeks burn and I practically jerked my hand off.

"Damn it, Sage. I'm sorry. It's just…Lee's dead, you know? He's gone. And I guess that wasn't really something I wanted to acknowledge—even  
though I was practically forced into it, being accused with his murder and all. It's just…" He took a deep breath, like he was hesitating to say his next words.  
No, not like he was hesitating. I think he was trying, but it was too difficult to get the words out. The most important stuff was sometimes the hardest to convey.

I knew that feeling, my social anxiety was one of those reasons. My father was another.

"It's just hearing his voice again. Kinda freaked me out, you know?"

Finally, I began to grip what he was talking about. Adrian had known Lee, they had been friends, now his friend was dead. It must have been really hard to be able to listen to a recording of his murdered friend without flinching. I was astonished by his strength.  
_How had he managed to sit through this with a straight face?_

I almost contemplated putting my hand on his shoulder again, but finally decided against it.

I observed him for a few minutes, neither of us said anything, I didn't offer him any kind of judicious advice, I didn't mumble stuff like "I know it must be hard," or "I'm so sorry for your loss."

I didn't even bother. Because I knew those words had no meaning.  
I would've gotten mad if someone walked over to me when I was in pain and told me about how sorry they were for me. They hadn't been through this, they didn't understand how it felt.

Their words were empty; weightless.

So I didn't bother.

I knew that would have just made him feel worse. I just sat there, closely by his side.  
I didn't say anything or do anything, but I could tell that I'd conveyed what I really wanted to.

I was attempting to let my presence be felt, I was just going to be there for him.

It was true, I had known Adrian for only a short span of time. But somehow, between all of the crazy stuff we'd been through, I'd began to genuinely care for him.

_And other things… _A helpful voice in my head whispered.  
_Not now._

I studied him for a few moments. He spoke no words but his eyes conveyed dissertations.

It was weird how we understood each other so well, yet were oceans apart when it came to most things. I watched him closely, the expression on his face was eating me up. I could feel some kind of abnormal pain rising in my chest.

"They're blind," I suddenly blurted.  
Adrian's hazy expression faltered slightly,  
"What?"

"They're all blind. I mean, one look at your face right now and they'd know you'd never be capable of something like that. I can see the purity written all over your face. Loud and clear." He shook his head, like he didn't understand.

"It's in your every action, your every word. Lee's death is eating you up, and those cynics are too blind to see that. I've read up enough on human behaviour to pick up that you are _devastated. _And I'm sorry—I really am, that a bunch of people that I claim to look up to have put you down. They're wrong, you know. Dead wrong."

The vehemence in my voice left a little sour after-taste in my mouth that I perceived tasted like rusted metal. I didn't know why I said that, but it was like an instinct. I wasn't one to unprofessionally blab out my innermost thoughts—but this, this was different. It felt almost necessary.

"They are stupid. If there's anyone here who's been most affected by Lee's death,  
it's you. I don't comprehend how this group of menial minds could decide your fate."

Adrian's expression was unreadable. At least he wasn't laughing, I took it as a good sign and went on.

"They're stupid…Because they don't see what I see."

Another unspoken enigmatic notion flashed through his eyes, and he turned thoughtful.  
"What do you see?"

I shrugged, deciding to be bluntly honest, I wasn't sure how long I could keep this up.  
"I see a normal, real person. Who is brilliant, passionate, amiable and strong." When I realized I'd used too many pleasing adjectives I briskly added,

"Of course, you are still completely heavy-handed and a total pain."

I bit my lip, wondering what on earth had just dawned over me. It was like some kind of lovesick robot had taken over my body and was speaking through my mouth. All my life, I had been taught not to doubt the higher authorities.

After all, I had no business questioning the word of respectable, wise, people, right?

_These are the people you answer to. Do you understand, Sydney?  
They are up there for a reason._

My father's disconcerting words were now fading from my brain somehow. It was since I'd met Adrian, like my whole world had been flipped upside down. Right and wrong and everything in between was beginning to blend into one. And suddenly, nothing made sense anymore. Well, nothing other than those exceptionally irritating voices in my head and butterflies that liked to prance around my stomach.

After that, I dared to look straight into Adrian's eyes. He wore a look of absolute astonishment. But the look began to modify, multiple feelings crossed his face.  
Confusion, hesitation, admiration, and finally, appreciation.

With all my rambling and racing thoughts, I hadn't bothered contemplating how close my face had gotten to his. We were literally only centimeters apart.  
I could feel his warm breath on my face, it smelt like clove and mints. I could clearly study his jawline from this distance, I could assess the iris that gave him the daunting green eye color and count the number of discernible veins on his neck.

It all happened like in the blink of an eye, so quick that I wasn't sure how to react.  
He leaned in to me, and naturally, my stupid head leaned towards his in return.  
His hands slipped around my neck and my eyes locked with his.

"Sydney Sage, did you know that you are single-handedly the most amazing person I've met in my life?"

Chills ran up and down my spine, the butterflies in my stomach were having an extravagant gala. My head on the other hand, felt like it was going to explode from all this sudden exposure. My heart was pounding so fast in my chest that I was afraid I would die of a cardiac arrest. That was practically impossible at my age, and yet, I was terrified. Just as his warm hands made contact with my neck and his lips briefly lingered over mine,  
I pushed him away and lurched back from him.

I jumped to my feet and immediately inched back a few more steps.

"What do you think you're doing!?"

Adrian's façade faltered and he stood up abruptly,  
his facial expression unfocused. "I wasn't doing anything…"

I huffed, still afraid he'd take a few steps towards me, luckily, he kept his distance.

"Don't _ever_ do that again!"

Adrian finally seemed to regain his look on his face was a dejected one.

"Why? Look, I wasn't trying to hurt you I swear. It's just… I like you, Sydney. It's crazy because when I'm around you I feel different. In a good way. The pain's always lessened when I've been around you." He took a deep breath and rubbed his temples, looking agitated all of a sudden.

"I bloody hate it! Feeling this way, it's tormenting and unfair. I don't know what it is about you. But I can't get you out of my head."

Every word was like a knife digging deeper and deeper into my chest, wrenching my heart out and crushing it. I did like Adrian, or at least I thought I did.  
But pretending like I disapproved and hated what just happened would make things easier. As long as Adrian thought I hated the idea of us as an item, I was safe. Still, I knew how he felt, because the same thing was happening to me.  
Of course, I didn't admit that to him.

"So why can't you just let go and learn to trust me, Sage?" His voice was anxious, almost anguished.

"Client. Lawyer. Lawyer. Client. Do I need to draw a diagram?"

Adrian smirked at that.  
"Depends on what they're doing in the picture."

"Adrian! God, get your mind out of the gutter! We can't be together."  
"Just tell me why. A valid answer."

"Because this. Whatever this is between us, it can't go any further.  
I won't let it! We're not even in the same species."

Adrian frowned, "What on earth is that supposed to mean?"

"I—I don't know! Look, I have a boyfriend for crying out loud! And I really, really like him.  
Also, there…There can't be anything between us. I'm your lawyer, Adrian.  
Do you know what that even means for us? For your case?"

Adrian looked like he was going to launch into a long, vehement speech after my comment, but the sound of my phone ringing stopped him, at least for the moment.

Adrian gave me a cold smile, "Saved by the bell." I didn't bother reciprocating and just picked up my phone. "Hello?"

"Is this Sydney Sage? This is Clarence Donohue."  
I stiffened. _Why was Lee's father calling me?  
Did Keith have a hand in this?_

"Uh, yes. Sir." My voice was barely audible.

"I was wondering if you could come over to my office and we could have a word.  
I have some of Lee's old things that might help with your case. Including some evidence that the police supplied from the, ah, from the scene of the crime."

I didn't bother hiding the surprise in my voice. "Really, Sir? That…That would be great. But…Why?"

There was a stale laugh on the other end of the line.

"My son was murdered, Miss Sage. But I know that the Ivashkov boy wasn't the one behind it. I want to find the real person who killed my boy. And I want to destroy them."  
His voice was so cold I could practically feel the despair and wretch radiating off of him from the mobile phone.

"In the mean time, I don't believe an innocent boy should be paying for something he did not do. I was even ready to give my statement to the police, but who would believe a silly old man…I thought speaking to his defense lawyer might help aid the case somehow."

I was almost at a loss for words again. I felt stupid realizing that this was happening a lot lately.

"Th—Thank you, Clarence, sir. That's really…wonderful of you…"

"Come by at around eight PM tomorrow. My secretary will provide you with an address."

The line went dead.

* * *

**A.N: Keep the reviews coming! They really motivate me to write and it'll only aid in sooner updates. I'm not one to blackmail but... ;)**

**xxx**


	13. 12: Bark But Biting Won't Bode Well

**A/N: This isn't my favourite chapter ever, but it's a necessary one. I'll try and post the next one by tomorrow, anyway, thank you for the positive reviews again! I'm really glad you guys are liking it so far. Things are probably going to start picking up some pace after this chapter.**

**P.S Everything stated here should be taken as unoffensive. No fraternities were harmed in the making of this, or the next chapter.  
**

**Credits: This is written purely for fun, rights to all things Bloodlines related go to Richelle Mead. I have no affiliation with the author whatsoever.**

* * *

CHAPTER TWELVE

Bark All You Want But Biting Won't Bode Well

That afternoon, Adrian and I had decided to stop by Shaggy's Seafood Shack again, in hopes to find Mark Hastings. I had this strong belief that Mark Hastings was the one who's voice had been cropped out of those tapes. After speaking to Kylie, the ex girlfriend again, I found out that she, Mark and Lee had all been in the same school and he'd held on to an one-sided love for her ever since. This provided Mark with a motive, a strong one. According to the tape, Mark had been threatening his so called best friend, too. He was possibly our guy.

I also wanted to know where Mark had been the night when Adrian and I were attacked. Mark hardly looked strong enough to take down a fly, he was lanky and didn't look like much. But I had learnt not to underestimate people's abilities. Perhaps he had martial arts skills nobody knew about. But there was always the possibility that Mark had a strong friend who was helping him for some reason. The second tape that Adrian had yielded wouldn't work because it had some kind of encryption on it that wouldn't allow us to access it. I'd decided I would be able to get it encoded but it would take some time and work.

I was sitting in my hotel room later and trying to gather more information on Mark. The guy wasn't as squeaky clean as I'd imagined. He had a knack for violence, he was once sent to Juvy because he beat up a kid from his neighborhood. He hadn't been lying about the comic convention though, he was part of several online gaming communities and was even president of some Star Trek role playing club. I frowned at my computer screen.

When I'd met Mark, I certainly hadn't pictured him to be our killer. Firstly, because despite having motive, he seemed too petty and sluggish to have carried out such a volatile murder. Still, it wasn't completely far-fetched. Apparently, he also had a history of rage issues and had visited an anger management facility when he was only fifteen years old. I was deep in thought when the sound of my phone ringing interrupted me again.

I was half expecting it to be Clarence Donohue with bad news. So I was taken aback when it turned out to be Jill Mastrano.

I picked up instantly, "Hey, Sydney. How's the case going? I spoke to Adrian this morning and he sounded really upset. Is everything okay? I was a little worried."

I rolled my eyes, I was aware of why Adrian was so morose, but it had nothing to do with the actual case. I restrained from giving too much away, "We had an…incident the night before, that's all. Things got quite rough. But not to worry, because I think we found a lead. I'll update you as promised when things start to stir."

Jill took a few seconds to register this before speaking again. "Alright, thank you. I totally appreciate you doing this for me, Sydney. And uh… I'm glad that things are starting to look up for my brother."

I was so relieved that Jill didn't question me further on the night's dismal incident or about Adrian's melancholy mood that I didn't understand what she was saying at first. I smiled slightly at her words, still secretly a little upset that Adrian hadn't mentioned her to me. After Jill had left me that morning, I had done my research just to make sure she wasn't lying. It turned out that his father really had remarried and Jill's record was spotless.  
"It's no problem. I understand." I replied.

"And uh, Jill? A word of advice? More of a request, really. Stay away from Keith Darnell. Don't pick up any of his calls and make sure he can't track you down. I'll spare you the details, suffice to say he is bad news."

Jill's voice was strained,  
"Well, are you sure? I mean, he's your partner. I thought he was trust-worthy."

Goosebumps etched at my skin.  
"Jill, please tell me you didn't speak to him again."

Her response was timid, which was quite a contrast from Jill's usual chirpy behavior.  
"He called me last night. He wanted to know if I was okay and if you were doing your job right. I told him that you'd been great, obviously. He told me that I should keep calling you to make sure things are going smoothly. He said that your superiors might interfere if things don't go well; and that I should warn you."

_What on earth was Keith up to? Why would he need a teenage girl to do his bidding?  
Did he have more spies on me?  
Was he using Jill simply to make me feel uncomfortable?  
Because if that was his aim, it was working.  
_  
Keith usually was the kind of guy who barked a lot but didn't dare bite. Now I wondered if I had been mistaken. "Please don't pick up any more of his calls, Jill."

"But he sounded worried about you!"

"Please, Jill. Just trust me on this and do as I say. Okay? He's a bad man, he has the ability to hurt you." After a little more chastising, I think Jill finally obliged.  
"Alright. I get it. I'll talk to you later. Bye, Sydney!"  
I already had enough to worry about, Keith Darnell adding himself to the swirling vortex of horror was just making things worse than they already were. I sighed, laying back in my computer chair and staring at the ceiling.

There was only one thing to do with dogs that barked, cut off their teeth.

xxxxx

"You have to let me handle Mark," Adrian's voice was hoarse.  
"Most certainly not. Look, I understand you're pissed. I am too, but we have to handle this rationally. We can't let things become messy. You know what he is capable of." I rebuked.

It was late afternoon and Adrian and I had just reached the Seafood Shack. There was no mention of our little almost-kiss or the quarrel afterwards and I was grateful. I think we were both a little distracted by the cruelty and repulsion to digest anything else for the moment. I felt the queasiness kick in as soon as we set foot in the restaurant.

Adrian had guaranteed that Mark was usually on shift at this time, so naturally, it was disappointing when we found out he wasn't available. "Nope," The guy who was working Mark's shift shook his head. "He's been MIA since yesterday. He mentioned a family emergency and took the rest of the day off. Sorry."

Adrian smashed his fist on the table so hard that the bartender inched away. "That little rascal!"  
"Relax," I tried to sound as comforting as I possibly could, despite being mad at him. I put a hand on top of his and peeled his arm off the counter.

The bartender regarded both of us quizzically, his eyes darting from Adrian to me simultaneously. He had blonde hair and sun-kissed skin, the guy looked more like a surfer than a bartender. He had a very good body, too, and I almost found him hot. It was funny how I seemed to be noticing every guy in the tri-state area except for my boyfriend Brayden. I pulled Adrian away from the counter and offered the cute bartender a half-hearted smile. "I'm sorry," I said, "He's got temper issues." Adrian got the message and sobered down a little after that. But just to show his agitation over my comment, he flashed me a quick scowl.

He sat down and ordered a drink for himself, I ordered myself a coffee too, since I knew Adrian would take a few minutes to come to terms with his anger or whatever turmoil he was now feeling.

"If it helps, I think Mark's going to this Frat party tonight. I could give you the deets."

I turned my head to my left and saw a girl with a brown pixie haircut sitting a chair away from us. She was sipping a martini. I frowned. I still thought it was a little early in the day to be drinking for anyone who wasn't going by the name Adrian Ivashkov. Also, I couldn't help but feel like I'd seen her before.

"That would be fantastic," Adrian cut in, facing her and raising a glass to convey his appreciation. "Thanks."

The girl smiled, I noticed her eyes were green (not as green as Adrian's of course.)  
"No problemo. I think Marky's just messed up, I mean, considering what happened to his friend. Who wouldn't be, right? I would've checked myself into rehab if I were him." I smiled at her uneasily, still trying to place her somewhere. I was absolutely positive I'd seen this girl before.

The cute bartender nodded in approval. "I think he's just been through a lot."

_If only you knew. _

I almost felt like spitting out that Mark was a creep and most likely a killer, but I stayed quiet. Thankfully, Adrian did too. He smiled widely, his bad mood dissipated promptly. I would never be able to grip his ability to refashion his moods like that.

"Yeah, we just wanna be there for Good Ol' Marky, you know? Help him out during this terrible, terrible period of his life." I couldn't tell if he was being diplomatic or sarcastic, either way the discontent in his voice was still quite audible. Apparently, I was the only one to catch that. The girl nodded, "It's just horrible. No wonder Mark wanted to go visit his old friend's house. I think he's trying to connect with Lee on a spiritual level. It's sweet, really."

Something in my brain clicked. _What did she just say?_

"Wait a second, Mark went to Lee's house? When?"

The girl and the bartender exchanged a dismal look. "In the evening, the day-before yesterday, after his shift was over. It was the last time we saw him."

The bartender nodded again, "Yeah, he looked distraught."

Anger, apprehension and disgust all pulsed through me at once. I strived to keep up the calm, careless semblance. "I see." The words came out between gritted teeth."I'm Lilah by the way, and this is Foster." She smiled politely.

That's when I recognized her. She was Kylie's friend. We'd met extremely briefly at the nightclub when we'd gone to interrogate her about Lee.

"Hey. Aren't you Kylie's friend?" I questioned. Lilah grinned and shook her head yes. "Yup. Are you guys her friends or something?" I had to assume Lilah didn't recall our brisk acquaintance.

"Something like that." I nodded promptly. Adrian pinched me and I turned to him, fixing him with a steely glare. "What are you doing?" I whispered.  
"Ask her about the frat party, I want to find Mark and screw his happiness."

I'd almost forgotten about that. Before I could pose the question, however, Lilah spoke up.  
"I don't want to pry or anything. But are the two of you…involved?"

I thought about this. "Well, yes of course. We're here together, aren't we? I guess it depends on the form of involvance that you are referring to, though."

Lilah's blank face regarded me, but thankfully, Adrian saved me much embarrassment.  
That's when it dawned on me that perhaps she meant _involved _as in together. Someday, I was going to learn to be better at this. "No, we aren't. Sorry about that, Sydney has social issues."

I didn't appreciate the jab, but I guess it was probably revenge for when I'd told Foster that Adrian possessed 'temper issues'. I didn't bother chastising him for it."Oh, I see." Was Lilah's only response.

Foster grabbed a wet towel and started to wipe the counter. "You're in luck. Lilah's totally repulsed by any PDAs. I think her church would dissaprove or something, if you two were together she'd probably be spewing holy water all over you guys." Adrian and I exchanged an uncomfortable glance.

"You make me sound like such a creep, Foster!" She groaned, and her cheeks turned bright red. "It's a form of abstinence, actually. It's just something my group doesn't approve of. But he's totally exaggerating about the PDA thing. To each their own."

Adrian regarded Lilah in a new light. "Are you asexual or something?" That earned him a slap on the arm from me and a laugh from Foster.  
And_ I_ was the socially challenged one. "I thought so too, when I first met her." He muttered.

Lilah looked away, clearly flustered. Some unspoken communication occurred between her and Foster. Adrian flinched, accepting his mistake.  
"Sorry, uh. You were telling us about this frat party?"

Apparently, Lilah possessed the same infrequent quality of turning on a dime like Adrian. Her face brightened up in an instant, you wouldn't have been able to tell she had been so distressed only a few seconds ago.

"Oh, yes! Hold on a second…" She began to sift through her purse and pulled out a colorful pamphlet and handed it to me. "Here you go, it's kind of an 'Open To All' thing. So I assume you don't have to be invited. Have fun, and good luck on finding Mark!"

After that, we thanked Lilah and Foster for their assistance and made our way towards Latte. Adrian was already getting feverish over our recent discovery.  
"A party with free booze _and_ we get to catch a killer!" He said chirpily, grinning all the way to the parking lot.

"Why do I have to keep going to these ridiculous social events?" I mumbled to myself.  
Frat parties were by far the worst, they were just an amateurish excuse that immature boys had for getting girls to undress and get drunk so they could take advantage. A few days ago, I wouldn't have been caught dead at such a place. And now here I was, trudging off to just that. Adrian shoved the pamphlet in my hands, "Look at it. This is like paradise."

I did look at it. In colorful glitter cursive were the words  
"Rad Party at Delta Kappa Beta! Free for all!" On the side of it was a cartoon beer glass and a penguin wearing a party hat. "What do you say, Sage?" Adrian remarked.

"I think it's the gateway to hell, and I don't want to keep looking directly at it."

I handed it back to Adrian as we finally located Latte. Adrian laughed, "You can be hilarious sometimes. You know that?"  
I didn't bother responding, I was suddenly distracted by the sight that beheld me.

I couldn't help but notice the spectacular Z8 Roadster that was parked next to my car.  
It was a rusted silver metallic and looked like heaven to me. Adrian noticed too, and whistled. "Hot wheels,"

I had plenty more to say about that particular BMW than that. It was a typical confluence of classic design and mordern engineering. I knew every detail there was to know about the car. The Z8 was made up of an aluminum space frame and housed a powerful 400-horsepower 4.9 liter V-8, which made it clear this car was made more for driving and not simply posing (though it sure looked good, even standing still!).

"You look like you're in love, Sage. Is that what it takes to get you to feel something?"

The taunt brought me back to my world of despair.  
I groaned, "The car's a classic, Adrian. It was a sensation when it first arrived in 1999.  
I'm just admiring a good thing. That's all."

When I was able to peel my eyes off the masterpiece car, we got into Latte and I began to drive, thankful for the details provided on the pamphlet. Adrian had grown very quiet on our way to the frat house, he kept staring out the window, in a world of his own.  
I didn't dare speak, I was still upset about the taunt.

I sighed as I stared out the window and drove on, playing back everything that had happened in the past few days. I'd never imagined how drastically my life had changed over just a week, and I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. Something about Adrian had reeled me in since the first time we'd spoken, and I still wasn't quite sure what it was. I mean sure, he was good-looking, charming, funny…But I also knew my limits very well. There was clearly a boundary line that I had crossed and if Keith, who was ever on my tail, found out, I could lose my job and a lot more to go with.

I could already see my father glaring at me with that harsh look of utter disappointment. I could picture the angry eyes of Donna Stanton who I'd finally gotten to praise me, I could imagine Zoe, my little sister, deciding that I wasn't her role model anymore.

The dismal thoughts took a turn when I glanced at Adrian, though. I wouldn't take it back, I realized. Even if I had the chance to go back in time and not go ahead with this case, I wouldn't have done it. I liked having him in my life. He was a unique person. Every sky was his own kind of blue. He was different than the other people I'd meant, confident, pure. He was staring at the window, the sunlight reflecting in his green eyes and making them dazzle like tiny emeralds. His mouth twisted in a sudden frown and he screamed, "Sydney! Taxi!"

It took me a second to realize what was happening and I swerved as quickly as I could, taking a sharp turn towards the right and dodging the incoming Taxi that I almost banged into.  
_  
Okay, Adrian is starting to muddle my thoughts and its borderline dangerous now. _

Adrian sighed in relief and stared at me, "What was up with that?"  
I kept my eyes on the road this time, "Sorry,"  
"You were staring at me."  
"I wasn't doing any such thing."

"Sage, I think it's time you stop lying to yourself." 

* * *

**A/N: A quick review would be oh, so appreciated! I really like hearing your thoughts on the story and what you'd like to see happen. You can always drop in ideas if you have any. My PM box is always open. :)**

**I LOVE YOU ALL.**

**xxx**


	14. 13: The Art Of Getting High

**A/N: So, yeah, as I said, this chapter is when things begin to pick up some steam. The Sydrian UST comes to a head, too, so I can safely say this chapter is pure Sydrian fluff. When I read it over, I was a little afraid this chapter may come off as a little overdramatic, but hopefully that's not true. Still, since this is my first fanfiction ever, I thought I would let you guys decide.**

**Please, please let me know what you'all think in the reviews. This is an early update, as promised.**

**Credits: This is written purely for fun, rights to all things Bloodlines related go to Richelle Mead. I have no affiliation with the author whatsoever.**

* * *

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The Art Of Getting High

I wanted to scream.

This was the horror of all horrors. This was like being trapped in a real-life Final Destination movie, there was no way out. Adrian had specifically asked me to put on something 'sleazy' so that we could play the part. I'd repeatedly argued that I did not have any such outfits in my closet. So finally, Adrian chose for me; it was a knee-length tight fitting black dress that showed off my curves but made it extremely difficult to breathe in. He told me the dress looked great and that it complimented my eyes. He also provided me with some unsolicited advice on what type of bra to wear with it.

I'd got the dress as a gift from Julia last Spring, so it made perfect sense that Adrian chose the one outfit that remotely resembled the ensemble the slutty unorthodox women he liked so much wore to parties such as this. Most of my back was also exposed since it had a gigantic hole that almost fell right down to my lower waist. Something that was ostensibly passed off as fashion in today's day.

Adrian had to practically pry me out of the car. The frat house looked much like a monster house. There were people everywhere.

The lawn that made way to the front of the house was spewed with beer bottles and littered with cigarette butts and streamers. There were teenagers talking, kissing and the obligatory drunk stumbling around.

"You okay there, Sage?" Adrian was standing closely by my side,  
I was so horrified by the frat party which we were about to endure that my love life or the lack there of was the least of my concerns. "I'm great." I fibbed.

"Really? Then why'd you look more enthused the night before when you got attacked by a stranger with a gun?" Adrian deadpanned, an eyebrow shooting up.

I sighed. I still couldn't get very far when it came to lying to him for some reason.  
"You're right," I mumbled, defeated.

"This is what nightmares are made of."

Adrian laughed and grabbed my arm, steering me towards the doorway.  
I stumbled on the four inch heels I was wearing, imagining all the kinds of travesties that lay beyond that door.

"Now remember, you're a slutty, perky, Sorority girl. You like boys and booze.  
And, you've got the IQ of a peanut butter sandwich."  
I was about to point out to him that inanimate objects did not possess IQs and then figured he was just joking. I nodded along and followed his lead. We walked into something that looked worse than a cross-over episode of Jersey Shore and the Kardashians. (God, I had to stop watching TV with Julia on late Saturday nights.)

"Nope. I will not do it. I will not fall prey to society's desire to turn girls into emotionally insecure neurotics who pull up their dresses for the first flattering remark." I blabbed.

Adrian laughed, "You're cute when your letting your inner feminist out. But we're here for a reason, remember?" I sighed and tried to keep my mouth shut.

There were more people here, it was sticky and hot and the room smelt like weed.  
There were ravers literally grinding on each other, couples out-rightly making out on the couch and another guy licking something off a blonde girl's navel.

A myriad of inconclusive thoughts erupted within me. I felt like animals were more well-behaved than most of these party-goers.  
_How unhygienic do you think this room is?  
_I didn't even let my mind go there.

I retorted a few steps, "Maybe this was a bad idea… I mean how are we going to find Mark in this mess?" Surprisingly, Adrian looked almost as distraught as I was.  
He looked down at me and shook his head.

"We have to find him, Sage. We're not going to let a killer loose on a bunch of high college kids." He was right, I decided.

Mark had a chance of escaping, or doing something worse here.  
I wouldn't be surprised if someone was laying dead in the bathroom right now,  
nobody would even notice in this tumult.

A plump guy wearing a black t-shirt that read out 'Let's get Fucked up and die!'  
with an additional red tie wrapped around his head greeted us.  
His eyes were bloodshot, which indicated he was probably intoxicated.

"Hey dudes! Welcome to the jungle!" He exclaimed.  
I stared him down disapprovingly,  
"Why would you want to send such a terrible message?"  
I asked, pointing at his t-shirt.

Adrian grabbed my waist and pulled me back, giving me a look that clearly meant  
_let me do the talking._

"I mean, ratchet shirt…bro!" I mumbled, attempting a fake giggle that sounded displeasing even to my own ears. The boy regarded that with a crinckled nose before he burst out laughing. "A little pre-boozed, eh? Good call!"

After that, the peculiar plump frat kid dissapeared into the tides of people.

Adrian was looking at me with a rather disbelievingly amused expression.  
"What?" I groaned.

He arched another eyebrow. I secretly hated him for having that ability,  
no mater how much I tried; I could never successfully raise just one significant eyebrow.

"_Ratchet_ shirt bro? _Really?_" He remarked.

"Sorry," I said sheepishly.  
"Communicating with your average drunk male in his natural habitat isn't a skill I possess yet."

He chuckled, "Just stay by my side and keep that smart mouth of yours shut. Okay?"

We searched for Mark for a few minutes after that. I even parted ways with Adrian for a couple disorienting seconds, which I thought was brave on my part because I was freaking out on the inside.

Still, there was no sign of him. I decided I'd have to ask around a little bit.  
A waiter carrying a tray of Punch passed by and I called him over.

"Punch?" He offered. "No," I tilted my head, "Do you have water?"

The waiter retorted with a puzzled look like water was a foreign concept here.  
I was so thirsty and exhausted by all the running around that I decided to go for it.  
Punch was non-alcoholic and it was the next best thing to water for now.

Plus, my throat was drying up. So I grabbed the punch glass from him and emptied it in a matter of seconds. "Hey," I stopped him before he walked away from me, "Are you aware if there's a Mark Hastings at this party?"

The waiter gave me a sympathetic grin. "This isn't an exclusive party, you know. There could be fourteen Mark Hastings over here as long as I'm concerned."

I nodded, feeling overpowered and a little nauseated. I took another glass of Punch from him and downed that too before putting the empty glass back on his tray and thanking him.

"That is really good." I complimented before he, too, was whisked off by the crowd.  
Normally, I didn't drink anything without checking the calorie count first,  
but I had to take this as a special anomaly and let this one go.

After a few more minutes of looking for Mark and failing, Adrian found me and I was glad.  
The last thing I wanted was to get lost in this maze of hormones, drugs and possibly sexually transmitted disease. His face was extremely red.

"Are you drinking again? You're supposed to be sober for this, Adrian!" I coaxed.  
He rolled his eyes, "All I had was Punch. Don't worry, I remember your rules."

I nodded, oddly my head was beginning to feel a little light.  
"The Punch was really good, wasn't it?" He shook his head in agreement and then let out a deep sigh. "Look, I think you were right. There's no sign of the leech anywhere."

I didn't bother replying to him, my head was starting to spin and I wasn't sure why.  
Perhaps it was because of this horrible message-less techno music attacking my ears, or maybe it was because of the atypical number of people crammed into this room.  
Regardless, my head felt funny and I had the instant urge to sit down and take a breath.  
Unfortunately, the room was polluted with the smell of all kinds of illegal substances.  
I needed air and I had to get out immediately.

Apparently, Adrian could read my mind.  
"Are you okay, Sage? You look kind of…flushed."

I shook my head, "It's probably just claustrophobia from being confined in a small space with a bunch of intoxicated morons."

I was aware that I sounded harsher than I intended to, but it was like the words had flew out of my mouth before I had the chance to hold back.

All I knew was that I needed some air.

Thankfully, Adrian got the message. He clasped my hand and led me through the crowds of people and back outside. Adrian's hand felt abnormally warm, but I tried not to pay too much heat to it (no pun intended).

As we traipsed out of the party and into the cooler night air my feet began to hurt.  
It was like hot, prickly needles were pricking both of my feet.

It was obviously due to the four inch heels I'd been forced to put on. I pulled them off and made my way towards the patch of grass on the lawn that looked the least covered with oddments. I managed to sit down and tipped my head back just a little so that I could  
revel in the fresh air.

"What is up with you?" I reluctantly craned my neck to shoot Adrian a glance.  
He was staring at me now; quizzically.

I couldn't help but notice how good he looked today.  
Well, he always looked good but he was looked even better right now. He wore a black shirt with the first two buttons undone, expensive dark blue jeans, and his hair was messy.

Adrian's hair seemed to be made of an unearthly substance.

Earlier this morning, I recalled that his hair had looked golden in the sun.  
Now, I could swear that there were parts of his hair that shimmered silver.

I frowned, as long as I was aware, there was no moon tonight. I turned over to see that the light casting the luminescence on his hair was from a street lamp. I almost slapped myself for the stupidity.

Adrian's beautiful green eyes now bore into mine.  
"Seriously, Sage. You look a bit dazed."

I looked away from him instantly when I realized I was caught staring again.  
_That's strike two._  
I looked down at the ground. "I feel fine," I lied.  
For some reason, I still felt like I couldn't be honest with him. I couldn't dare tell him that I actually felt like I mattered when around him.

Around Adrian, I felt happier somehow. He treated me like a real person…Like an equal.  
I didn't get the Alien treatment with Adrian, nor did I get coddled.

I was just normal. I was Sydney Sage, the _person_.  
Not Sydney Sage, the cold blooded lawyer.

Most people treated me like a prize to be won. Back at Law school,  
I was one of the smartest students they had. People would latch onto me like moths to a flame, everyone wanted to be my friend, but it was for the wrong reasons.  
They wanted the good reputation that my company could award them. Others, like my father or Donna Stantan for example, treated me more like a robot than an actual human being. I used to repress myself by the false belief that it was because I was better than everyone else and that my superiors were proud of me.

But I was wrong.

I was someone who had to excel. There were all these expectations and boundaries that they had laid out for me. I had to bend to their will, and provide no opinions of my own.  
I was just a means of…_What was I going to say again?_

Yes, a means of fame, succession and perhaps money.

_Sydney's our direct source to the Powers That Be!  
Yes, she's sent to us from heaven to furnish our incapable butts with glory and retain the prestige that comes with being a Sage!_

My father hadn't given me much of a choice when it came to Career day at school.

Not that I even got to go to a real-school. No, I was homeschooled because my father didn't think I should be exposed to the bad influence of young adults my age.  
_My daughter's going to excel in the field of law.  
_  
"He doesn't understand, though. Maybe if my father hadn't forced me into this stupid gig in the first place I would be painting pretty eyeballs like _you_! Or…or I could be designing an office building for the President!" I shook my head vigorously, and raised a finger to prove my point,

"Instead, I'm stuck with being a goody-two-shoes Lawyer.  
Always have to do what's right, even if it involves getting killed or shot to death or…"  
I almost choked on my own saliva.  
When had my thoughts transformed into words?

Adrian fixed me with a look that I was quite unable to discern.  
My mind and heartbeat alike, raced.

I bit my lip, "Sorry. I don't know what got into me."

"Are you talking about your father?"  
"Yes."  
"Well, if you have complaints about your Daddy Dearest. Lay it on me.  
If there's anyone in this world who could relate and is readily available, it's probably me."

Adrian had a point, his father was a scary looking man.  
And, I was quite sure he didn't truly care whether his son was sent to jail or not.

"You're…You're right! My father is horrible! He makes me feel like…I don't know, Adrian.  
I'll never be good enough for someone like him. Ever since I could talk, I followed the unbending rules that he set up for me. I did everything he asked of me, even when I was uncomfortable doing it,"

I took a deep breath before going on; my head still throbbing.  
"I try so hard, you know? And I'm still a failure. No matter what I do, it's never enough."

I knew that some time or the other I was bound to realize that I was sitting on wet grass at a frat party pouring my heart out to my client. But apparently this wasn't that time.

He turned back to me, a determined; almost fierce look on his face.  
"You _are_ enough. I don't know why you don't see it, Sage.  
Your dad's an idiot. Anyone…Anyone who doesn't see the beauty in you is an idiot."

He grabbed my hands again, both of them this time and brought them up to his chest and held them there.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you, Sage. I'm different around you. Good different.  
And that's because of how special you are. You're like a star. Or…Or the sun.  
Or the entire god damn galaxy!"

Slowly, he released my hands and dropped his back to his sides.

"I don't know…This sounds cliché but…"

I couldn't feel my face, or my heart, or any other ostensible part of me.  
There was only Adrian.  
The world around us seemed to crumble.

I hung on to every word.

"But you're like this brilliant, bright light. Everything's bigger, heightened when I'm with you."

I could feel tears prickling my eyes and I was unsure whether it was from Adrian's words or from how numb my face felt.

There were emotions he was making me feel, futures he was making me dream of that I couldn't allow myself to even begin to analyze. It didn't fit in with the mold I'd created for myself. These desires I was beginning to have for Adrian were terrifying me.

_Wouldn't it be more accurate to say your afraid of yourself?  
Of what will happen if you give in?  
_Those helpful voices were back. Why were they back?

Of course I was afraid. I knew what would happen, I would never again be able to go hide behind that perfectionist demeanor that I wore like a shield.  
If I allow myself to give in to the emotions he's making me feel, I may just get a little messy.

_But wouldn't the fun be worth it?  
_  
I grabbed his hands again, and he pulled me closer.  
The sharp blades of grass tickled my bare feet.  
He was leaning into me again.

"I should stop you…" I whispered beneath my breath.

His face was once again inches apart from mine.  
It didn't matter though, I was already in his arms.

The warmth that was filling within me was inexplicable.

"What are you going to stop me with?" He asked, I was hoping it was a rhetorical question.

"Force of will, strength of character, tenacity, karate chop…"

Our breaths intermingled and I could detect the familiar clove scent mixed with the smell of the fruit punch he'd been drinking.

For a second, I thought that the fruit punch smelt funny. It didn't smell like, well, like fruit.  
But the thought was gone as quickly as it had come.

"You're funny. You think you are socially inept and can't hold a conversation or whatsoever. But you hold my attention, you know that? You always hold my attention."  
The words were practically slurring from his mouth now.

All the compliments, I just couldn't take it.  
Butterflies were doing somersaults inside of my stomach.  
My head still felt like steel, and now I was sure I was a little dizzy.

His strong arms were still wrapped around me though,  
preventing me from falling down and embarrassing myself.

"I know about you, too. About that girl…Rose Hemmingway…Uh, I can't remember her last name. But I know about her. Don't be ashamed of it."

Adrian looked like he wanted to say something, he was grasping for the right words.  
His facial expression turned unfocused before clearing again.

"Huh?" Was all that came out of his mouth.

"You were in love with her. You need closure. She hurt you and that's why you've shut yourself off from everyone…except me, for some reason. Anyway, I can't bear to see someone in that kind of pain. I want to help you be whole again. It's just that…"

I let my words hang in the air, for some reason I wasn't able to finish my sentence.  
Adrian squeezed his eyes shut for a brief moment and then looked at me with those hypnotizing gems again.

_Those eyes should be illegal.  
_  
"You can't?"

The words had only just left his mouth and a sudden thirst for him engulfed me.  
The intensity of my impromptu need was far too extreme to comprehend.  
His eyes still didn't move from mine. His brow furrowed in pain and I thought I could see tears well up in his green eyes.

I grabbed his face and kissed him hard. Heartbeats echoed in my ears, time stood still.  
He smelled so good, his lips were soft against my own.  
I was aware that I had kissed before, but I'd never felt so…alive; so good while doing it.  
I felt him kiss me back with equal intensity. He picked me up and wrapped my legs around his hips.

We moved at lightening speed, or what felt like it. He pushed me towards a nearby tree and moaned as his tongue brushed against my own. Every vibration set me on fire. When I was sure I was going to lose my breath, Adrian's lips broke away from mine to blaze a hot trail down the side of my neck. The action left my lips tingling for more. His moans were soft and seemed to echo. Everything around us began to become insignificant.

We were flesh. We were flame. There was nothing else. No-one else.

His lips crashed against mine once more, while my hands began to undo the buttons of his shirt. It was like they suddenly had a mind of their own.  
Adrian apparently, was just as driven by need as I was, as he continued to kiss me.

His hands began to fidget with the straps of my black dress,  
while I, at the same time, scanned the length of his chest and stomach with my own.  
My heart was racing, and breathing was becoming an annoying compulsion.

He began to kiss my lower neck, and gradually made his way towards the  
parts of my chest that were exposed from the dress.  
Our grips around each other tightened.

I ran my hands through his hair and as his lips returned to mine, I could feel him smile against them. That's when I realized that I was kissing Adrian Ivashkov.


	15. 14: A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes

**A/N: I'd just like to mention that I'm aware that this isn't a very eventful chapter and that it doesn't have much purpose at all. The whole chapter's an insecure dream that Sydney has the night of the frat party. It's basically a filler chapter that let's us get into Sydney's head a little and have a peek at her deepest insecurities related to everything that's going on in her life. You could literally skip this chapter and it still wouldn't break the flow of the story. However, I'd recommend reading it anyway because it might help in understanding the character. It's also very small but since I already wrote this one and didn't feel comfortable completely cutting it out of the story, I decided to just go ahead and post it.**

**Since this is a very small filler chapter, I promise to post the next one as soon as possible, maybe even by tonight. :)**

**Credits: This is written purely for fun, rights to all things Bloodlines related go to Richelle Mead. I have no affiliation with the author whatsoever.**

* * *

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes

I was alone.

Or, at least I felt alone. I was back at law school, standing in the central lawn.  
I looked around and I was surrounded by people, but I couldn't distinctly make out  
any of their faces. It was all a blur. I couldn't seem to recall the past or the present.  
Why was I standing here? Why was I unable to communicate with anyone?

I tried to call out to someone, but the sea of indistinguishable faces all around  
didn't respond. They just kept walking about. Like hypnotized or in a daze.

There were so many of them. Inumerous.

I tried to take a few steps out of that lawn, but it was like my feet were glued to the grass. Finally, one of the many faces made sense to me. I knew her. It was my little sister, Zoe.

Her face was bright and crystal clear, unlike the rest. Her brown hair flowed around her and structured her pretty face. Her eyes seemed daunting; she was angry at me. But why?

"Zoe? Zoe, what's going on? I…I can't get a hold of anything!" My voice was desperate and bewildered.

Suddenly, the entire building and everything that surrounded it began to shake violently.  
Like an earthquake; and a gigantic chasm began to unearth itself from the ground right in front of my eyes. The disarray and turbulence seemed to dial down. My heart leapt into my mouth as I watched my sister standing on the opposite side of the chasm; a place that was out of my reach. I screamed out for her, but her facial features showed no consideration for me.

"How could you do this to me, Sydney?" My sister's voice was distant and seemed to echo throughout the area. "You were supposed to be my role model! I looked up to you."

My throat was dry. I didn't know what to say. She looked dissapointed; betrayed. But why? What had I done? What could I have done that was so possibly terrible that made her say this to me?

Slowly, her face began to melt. It was gruesome. Right in front of me. And her entire body dissipated. The racing faceless bodies around me still zoomed past me like they were late and had to get somewhere…Like their lives depended on it.

"Sydney," The voice was deep and hollow. I gasped. Where my sister had been standing a second ago, now stood my father. His arms were crossed in front of his chest, his graying blond hair was disheveled. His eyes were red with fury.

"You are a failure! A disgrace to the Sage name. You can't do anything right, can you?  
You were a mistake. We should have never had you."

I felt numb. Nothing was making sense.

My father had always been like this towards me, so it didn't come as a surprise.  
I was sad to admit that I was used to this kind of treatment, what I didn't  
understand was for what he was mad at me now.

"Father…What did I do wrong?" My dad's mouth curved into a dissaproving scowl. "What did you do right would be the more appropriate question. You will never succeed, girl. You are a dissapointment." After all these years of my father talking back to me, one would've thought it would hurt less. But apparently it still hurt the same. I could sense that I was on the verge of tears."Do you remember what I told you all those years ago, Sydney?" His voice was getting louder.

I shook my head, this was one of the things I did still remember. "Never…Never question your elders. We are doing what's right. A great lawyer must abide to the given terms, one slip up…One slip up and it will all be for waste."

My dad nodded in agreement, his next words like knives.

"You slipped up, Sydney. Everything that you have done, all the potential you had and all the struggles you faced to be in this position are now all a waste. You will never be one of us.  
_You_ are a waste."

My knees buckled and I crumpled to the floor just as my father scattered and dissapeared into the phantom crowd. I wanted to scream. I felt trapped and confused. I still couldn't quite remember what I had done wrong, but it had to be something horrible.

A third face began to materialize just when I thought I'd had enough of all this.  
It was Keith Darnell. At this point, I didn't even bother standing up again.

Keith's face, unlike the last two, was beaming.

His cruel laughter engulfed my surroundings and hurt my ears.

"I told you, Sydney. I told you I'd be watching you. I just wanted to say congratulations for living up to your expectations. That's right, everybody knew that you couldn't handle the task at hand. I love it when I'm right."

He took a deep breath and a stepped towards the chasm. My mouth dropped open as he effortlessly stepped over the gap between us and walked over to me. His normal eye stared me down as he flashed me a fanatical grin.

"Isn't this great?" He mumbled, standing upright and smiling to himself.  
"It's like I don't even have to take my revenge on you. You're kind of doing it for me."

He pointed at his glass eye at this point, and his smile wavered. He spoke in an awfully joyous tone; but I could catch the subtext beneath it. "Remember this, Sydney? Because I sure do. I wonder what your boy toy will think when he finds out what you're capable of. Will he support you? Or go running in the other direction?"

Keith pretended to ponder this over, and then shrugged nonchalantly.  
"Either way, it's going to cause trouble for you. So I'll just sit back and enjoy the ride."

Boy toy? What in the world was he talking about? I wanted to ask, maybe this lunatic could at least provide me with an answer. But once again; my voice deceived me.

Keith began to peel off his glass eye and I felt like I was going to be sick.  
The glass eyeball bounced off his face and onto the grass, I dared to look up at his face and felt goosebumps rising on every part of my body.

Instead of an eye, I found an empty socket with blood dripping from every inch of it.  
I backed up immediately, but wasn't able to stand up or run away.

Keith inched closer, and leaned down towards my face. I wanted to scream for help; not that there was anybody here to aid me. A drop of blood from his eye socket fell on my cheek and a rush of nausea emerged inside of me. "What?" He asked, his voice still equally amused.

"You didn't think you could really get away with what you did, did you?"

He shook his head in mock dissapointment.

"You think you're better than the rest of us, don't you? You think you're this angel sent from heaven who can do no wrong? Well guess what, you're _worse_ than all of us put together!"

He began to laugh again, as I crawled backwards further away from him.  
"Oh, Sydney, Sydney, Sydney. You should know better by now. You can't run away from this, you'll have to face the consequences sooner or later."

Now, I couldn't even inch back any more, he grabbed my shoulders and his face was inches away from my own. The blood from one socket still pouring out and dripping past his chin.

"You're smart, aren't you? What's the most important law of Physics?"  
I closed my eyes and prayed for him to go away. I willed my head as further away from his as I possibly could without tearing it off.

His voice was now downright chirpy. He sang out his next words loud and clear.

"Every action has an equal and opposite reaction."

* * *

**A/N: I really don't know what got into me when I wrote this chapter, as I said, small, filler, and doesn't have to do much. I hope it doesn't discourage you from reading on. The next chapter will be up soon! Please please review :D**

**xxxx**


	16. 15: Crash Course In Polite Conversations

**A/N: As promised, here's an early update. I posted Chapter 14 yesterday so if you're just seeing this don't forget to check that out first. I'd just like to mention that the reason Sydney acts the way she does in the following chapter is because we still have to consider all the risks that comes with what's going on in her life. She may be Sydney Sage in love, but she's still Sydney Sage. Everything has been turned upside down for her, and she knows the risks that consorting with her client can have. I've tried to keep her in character here, so conflict will definitely arise. Plus, a happy couple is a boring couple when it comes to fiction. Anyway, this doesn't mean that I'm going to take millenniums to get these two kids together either. In fact, you can expect lots of Sydrian feels and lusties in upcoming chapters. ;)  
**

**Hope you guys like this one. Please review!**

**Credits: This is written purely for fun, rights to all things Bloodlines related go to Richelle Mead. I have no affiliation with the author whatsoever.**

* * *

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Crash Course in Polite Conversations

I woke up to the sound of the regular early morning alarm set on my phone and  
almost fell off the bed.

Adrian was next to me. Adrian Ivashkov was sleeping right next to me.  
On a bed.

My thoughts began to race before my eyes could even adjust.

_Why am I on a bed with Adrian Ivashkov? What happened last night?  
Why does my head feel like it's going to explode? Why does my stomach feel so empty?  
Wasn't I at Law school with Keith?_

When my eyes finally did adjust, I pinched myself just to make sure I wasn't dreaming again. The dream—more accurately put, the nightmare that I had experienced was still fresh in my mind. But even that wasn't as bothersome as being on a bed with Adrian Ivashkov. Bits and pieces of the night before returned to me. A lot was still hazy, but I did remember kissing Adrian. _Kissing Adrian?  
__Lips _of Adrian! I shuddered as I lifted a finger to briefly touch my lips.

I gasped, my mind forming new, absurd and horrific thoughts as I peered under the covers. I sighed in relief when I realized that I was decent and fully clothed. Well, as fully clothed as one can be in a skimpy dress like the one I was still wearing.

_So I can rule out sex. Right…?_

My heartbeat was going crazy again, and I doubt it had anything to do with passion or happiness. I was freaking out. I turned to glance at Adrian once more. He was sleeping on his stomach with his face turned away from me. He was also wearing clothes. _Phew._

Quietly, I stepped out of bed and recognized Adrian's bedroom from the night before.  
Except this time I had been sleeping in it with him. On a bed. _His bed._

More disturbing thoughts.  
The butterflies in my stomach were having a serious air show now. I felt like I was going to be sick. I probably was. More flashes from the night before returned to me.

The fruit punch! Some idiot had spiked the fruit punch! That explained my being so tipsy and feeling nauseous now. _Why didn't Adrian tell me? Did he…Was it possible that he took advantage of my state? No. He wasn't like that._

_He wouldn't._

I could feel yet another wonderful brain killing migraine coming on.

Suddenly it struck me. It didn't matter whether I'd 'done the deed' with Adrian or not,  
I'd kissed him…probably more. That made me uneligable for being his Lawyer.

If Keith found out…  
I could still hear that narcissistic laugh of his from the nightmare.  
I cringed. Adrian. The nightmare had been like a warning from me to me.

I should have known. Dancing with him should have been my first indication. Then the dryness in my mouth and the fear I had for him when I thought he'd gotten shot should have been my second clue. Of course, the most obvious one was the brusque almost kiss we'd almost shared. I quivered.

I felt the sudden need to go bathe myself in holy water.

_What had I done?  
_  
I was about to run out, grab my car and drive off without further notice but my far-fetched plan had to be aborted when I heard Adrian's voice.  
He was sitting up in his bed and eyeing me.

Okay. Now I was sure there were butterflies in my stomach. Big, ugly, lead-winged butterflies performing the Nutcracker in my stomach. I tried not to stumble into the floor face-first under his gaze. His expression was unreadable.

"There's a tattoo on your cheek."

"What!?" I shrieked, running up to the full-length mirror that was on the closet to the bed's right. I was about to unleash into an agonized fit about unhealthy social whims about inking onself when I realized that the tattoo wasn't permanent.

I stared at the tiny golden lilly that was drawn on my cheek. It was paint, and was probably washable. I sighed in relief.

"What is it?" Somehow, Adrian had made his way out of bed and towards me.  
I took a few cautious steps away from him, secretly afraid of regarding myself in the  
mirror for longer considering the state of my current appearance.

My hair was greasy and messed up, the layers sticking out in every possible direction.  
My eyes were droopy and felt heavy, and I was still in that figure hugging black dress. I looked like I'd been doing drugs for five days straight.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid. _I wanted an AK-47 so that I could shoot those disgusting butterflies and kill them for good.

"It's a lilly." I kept my voice fairly neutral, trying to ponder the different ways to yell at Adrian without getting him too mad and ordering me off his case.

He himself looked untouched by the night's events. His hair were hair-gel free for once, and naturally messy due to bedhead. He was wearing a red shirt and pants. A few of the shirt's buttons were undone. I could see some of the pale muscle underneath it.

_Stop it! Bad Sydney. We do not look at the sexy client's abs. Especially one constituted for murder. Murderous abs. Yes. Bad. Wrong. Unprofessional._

Adrian smiled lightly, wearing a look of approval.  
"I like it. A lilly. It fits your personality perfectly. Even the gold. Bright, prominent, and toxic."

I was about to point out that lillies weren't actually toxic, except to cats. But I kept it to myself. I was still trying to put together most of last night, which was still a blur. Why would I have permitted someone to touch my body with a foreign substance like that? The double standard in the sentence hit me and I groaned. I'd let him touch me! And I'd initiated the contact. I'd enjoyed what I was getting, too.

Adrian's smile wavered, "About last night…"  
I stopped him right there, registering him with what I hoped was a stern death glare.

"No jokes. No innuendoes, no quips. Don't even think of alluding to having seen me naked or having touched any part of my body that does not have fingers."

Adrian regarded me back when an unmoved expression.

"Can I mention my eyes adored you?"

I could tell that he was just being sarcastic, but then he took another stride towards me,  
the deadpan fading and being replaced with a serious frown.

"Sage, I'm sorry. I…I was almost positive I was sober last night, but I guess not.  
I shouldn't have let it go as far as it did, I know. Hell, I feel so guilty now that I'm pretty sure I'll never touch alcohol again. But you've got to understand that I  
didn't take advantage of you."

I laughed dryly, "Making out does fall under the category of taking advantage in my book."

Something flashed in his eyes, he looked so hurt for a second that I wanted to take it back,  
but then the expression vanished.

"I'll tell you what I remember. We made out, yes. But I stopped it before we…you know, took it to the next level. Next thing I remember were frat girls with their t-shirts and acrlyic paints…Uh, not sure how that fits in, but it explains your tattoo. Then I drove us home, since you were too tipsy to drive. After which I tucked you in bed and fell asleep besides you. That's all that happened as far as we go. You've gotta believe me."

I didn't say anything for a few long seconds. I wasn't sure what to make of it. On one hand, he seemed sincere, but he could be lying. I mean, I was glad we hadn't ended up having intercourse or anything like that, but I was still upset.

The thing was, I wasn't sure which one of us I was actually upset at.

"Look at the bright side. At least you convinced them into thinking you're a bobbing airhead."  
I loured at him, crossing my arms over my chest. "That's because I turned into one!"

Adrian took a deep breath and raised his hands up,  
"I told you, I'm sorry. And for the record, kissing is an act that involves two people. _Two_ pairs of lips, Sage. If we're playing the blame game here, then don't pretend that you're an innocent victim. I was whipped too. But if there's one thing I remember crystal clear from last night, it was our kiss. Or shall I say…Kisses?"

He took a few more steps towards me, filling the gap between us till there was none. The butterflies were really starting to annoy me, now, and my head was starting to spin, just a little.

"And I remember that your mouth was all over me. So as far as that goes, I think _I'm _the one who should be having the talk with _you_." He pointed out, as if it was the answer to all our problems.

Anger blazed through me. Too many emotions were beginning to cloud my judgement with this case. I wanted to keep the conversation polite. At the same time, my head was beginning to split and I was pretty sure I was on the verge of facing an impending hangover.

"That, was a mistake! It was a moment of weakness! God, I need to go sanitize my mouth!"

I started to walk away from him, but he ran after me, grabbing my arm.  
"Let go of me!" I chastised, trying to resist his strong grip.

"Come on, you don't mean that. We both feel it, and I know that now. There's no way in hell that you kiss like that and don't feel a thing. Stop deluding yourself, Sage."

I pulled myself out of his grasp and kept on walking, my head still feeling like it weighed a million pounds. I grabbed my jacket that was laying on his couch.

He followed me.

"How long are you going to keep denying yourself anything that makes you feel happy, huh? You are your own person, Sage. Not a chess piece in someone else's game! Stop pretending, for once in your life god damnit, do something that makes you feel good! Let someone in!"

His monologue was beginning to hurt. I could feel my heart pounding inside my chest and  
my mouth was dry as sand. I started to put on my heels as fast as I could in this state.

I tried to sound as incredulous and lifeless as I could. I scoffed, "And that someone should be you?"

I pulled on the heels finally, and began to walk out the door.  
"I painted that for you! The lilly! Because even in your drunk state, you didn't want to let anyone in. You didn't let anyone else do it, but you gave me the permission. I take that as a sign!" He muttered on petulantly, following me out the door as well.

I wanted to give in, but then again, I wasn't that stupid. That dream was simply a dream, but it was a reminder of where things were headed if I didn't cut this off right now. I had been disregarding him for so long, but I finally came to a brisk stop and turned over to him. I shook my head.

"You think I made out with you because I have some deep hidden burning attraction to you? Get over yourself."

"Denial's not just a river in Egypt."  
"Repeat after me. Get. Over. Yourself."  
"Repeat after me. You. Want. Me."

"Ugh!" I stomped my foot against the hard wood floor, exasperated. He still wouldn't give up, and kept up with my pace. Finally, I turned around and gave him the ultimatum.

"I think _you_ are the one deluding yourself. Read between the lines a little too much?  
I don't want you. I still don't. What happened last night was me letting my dormant needs get the best of me. But that is never going to happen again. You don't mean anything to me."

My voice was laced with such venom that I wanted to slap myself. I could feel the ache returning, I had no right being such a downright bitch towards him.  
And now I was swearing. Clearly, I was too far gone. The truth was, I hated myself for the truth. The feelings that Adrian invoked were far too powerful. They could sabotage this case, my life and my job.

Everything that I had spent my life building would come crashing down in flames.

_How could I let that happen?_

It was so different with him. Physically, it was the same thing I had once felt for Brayden.

The longing to be near him, the racing heartbeat, the feelings in my stomach.  
But otherwise…Everything was so different.  
He…challenged me, infuriated me. He intrigued me and disgusted me at the same time.  
He was like no other guy I'd come across before, so complex and alone.

Sometimes, I wanted nothing more than to slap him across his smug face.  
But then, sometimes all I wanted to do was wrap my arms around him and comfort him.  
Liking him…Or loving him, if that's even what it was, was dangerous.  
Sure, it was exciting, but I didn't have time for excitement.

His words rang through my head like a siren.

_You are your own person, Sage. Not a chess piece in someone else's game._

I dared to look up at him. This time, he had stopped talking, his eyes became unfocused once the initial surprise wore off.

He nodded, "I see,"  
"Well, despite the fact that you're quite ruthless, you're still a terrible liar."

He inched towards me, his breathing hitched.

"I'm the guy for you. But one of these nights your gonna realize it. I'm the guy for you, Sydney Sage. You'll see."

With that bombshell, he turned on his heel and walked back into his apartment;  
slamming the door shut behind him.

I gaped at where he had been standing several seconds ago.

Then there was this sudden shooting pain that made it's way to the core of my heart and I started walking away; feeling sick and defeated. I could swear that I heard my own heart breaking as I walked down the stairs that led me out of his building.

xxxxx

"So, what? He hasn't called you in days? You should put a leash on the guy, Syd. Do you want me to investigate? Make sure he isn't cheating or something?"  
Julia's voice was deadpan, and under different circumstances, I would've laughed at how serious she sounded about spying on my boyfriend.

I'd called Julia and asked her to come over since she was apparently still spending time at her Aunt's here in Palm Springs for some aid with my hangover.  
I knew a lot of things, but hangovers were categorized in Julia's area of expertise.

We were sitting in my hotel room and she'd brought me some strange green drink that she swore was a miracle cure to any kind of hangover. After downing that, I admittedly felt a little better, but my head still hurt.

I was talking to her about Brayden, partly because I felt extremely guilty. Brayden and I didn't have a relationship that one would consider regular. But if this were a normal relationship, I had out rightly cheated on him. Okay, that was my mind making excuses. Whatever kind of relationship we had, it was still a relationship which meant that yes, I had cheated on him.

That's when I'd decided that it was time to break up with him. Brayden was a wonderful guy,  
but I guess my stupid hormones were more a fan of smug, sexy and green-eyed.  
I sighed, still debating whether or not to come clean to Julia.

This was something that was right up her ally, after all.

"Julia…" I mumbled, biting my lower lip as I felt my cheeks flush.  
"What is it?" She grinned.

"What if I told you that I, uh…got drunk and made out with a guy, let's keep him nameless. And totally fell head over heels in the process and forgot about my boyfriend at the same time? And what if I told you I said some horrible things to him the morning after in a raged fit and still feel like my heart hurts because of it?"

Julia's expressions went from confused to intrigued to exhilarated.  
She broke out into another wide smile.

"You made out with Adrian Ivashkov!"

I looked around just to make sure the walls couldn't hear her loud voice. "Shh, I told you let's keep him nameless!"

Maybe I should have changed the names around like they did in documentaries to protect the privacy of the parties involved. Ugh. Was being absolutely daft a side-effect of a hangover?

Julia scoffed at that. "Oh, please, Syd. You suck at lying, you know that.  
Oh, my, god. This is so scandalous! This is so…juicy! Wow, your life must be like a Jane Austen book…except, better!"

Julia was bantering on like I'd just won the Hunger Games (I have _got _to discontinue Saturday TV Night with Julia, my pop culture references are on fire).  
She shook her head, looking rather impressed.

"You are now officially one of us!"

"Uh, thank you…? No, you don't understand, Julia. I cheated on Brayden, it doesn't matter how mad he is at me; what I did was wrong in every sense of the word."

Julia did nothing to veil her giddiness over all this. "Oh, forbidden love! Like Bella and Edward or Angel and Buffy! Oh, my, god. Even better!"

I stared at her in disbelief. Thank god there were references I still didn't understand.

"You can't tell anyone."  
"Oh, can I please tell Kristen? No-one else, I swear."  
I sighed, exasperated. "_Only _Kristen."

She nodded, and then finally her jovial mood debated a little.

"You like him, don't you? Adrian, I mean? Because come on, how can you not, right?  
He's hot and untouchable. And honestly, a total step-up from Bray-Bray."

"_Brayden_! Julia, I cheated on the guy. Can we be more considerate?"

"Fine, okay, whatever. Look, I'm trying to help you! It's just…I need to know the state of this. Oh, my, god…" She gasped, I could practically see the smoke coming out of her ears.

"Did you totally have a one-night stand?"

I groaned again, shaking my head which was now only aching even more.  
I was starting to reconsider inviting the overly perky Julia over for 'girl time'.

"If you're implying coitus, then no. I did not sleep with him."

She sighed, relieved. "Okay so tell me. Do you like him or not?"

_Isn't that the million dollar question.  
Shush!_

Why on earth couldn't I have just kept my miserable Adrian thoughts to myself? Julia truly brings out the worst in me. "I honestly don't know."

"Well, I think it's pretty clear."  
"What is?"  
"Adrian got you to break up with Brayden, didn't he? Kristen and I have been trying to get you out of that disaster of a relationship for months now."

"I feel your struggle," I muttered dryly.  
I did know the answer to her question, but saying it out loud would make it tangible, solid…real. If I just kept the whim that I liked Adrian in my head then maybe I could continue my denial phase in peace. But if I admitted it to Julia, I would be admitting it to myself.

"Earth to Sydney," Julia was waving her hand in my face.  
I blinked a couple of times and then sighed in defeat.

"Okay. Fine…Yes, I do like him. But Julia, deranged romance fantasies aside, it's impractical. Adrian is my client, if anyone finds out about this, especially my superiors—then I'm off the case. And I can't let that happen, whoever they assign to him in my place won't be interested in the justice he deserves."

Julia shook her head, showing some newfangled sense of human consideration.  
"I totally understand. But, I mean, you're here on this case alone. The only other person  
who you have to worry about is me. And you know I'd never tell on you."

"It's not you I'm worried about."

The words had slipped off my tongue before I could've caught myself.  
Ugh, it was like the alcohol all over again. My stomach grumbled at the upsetting thought of liquor.

Julia eyed me carefully, realization lighting up her face.  
"No way! It's that asshole again, isn't it? The One-Eyed freak. What was his name?"

It was almost humorous how everyone seemed to assign Keith's name to anything shady.  
In a morbid sort of way. Not that he didn't deserve it, because if there was anyone in the world who single-handedly warranted all the bad press he got, it would be him.

Julia was aware about my Keith problem. I wasn't the only one Keith managed to aggravate during his time at UCLA. He was in the senior class and was used to hitting on every breathing girl in our class. Julia had been one of them. They called him the Horny Cyclops behind his back, I smiled at the memory.

I nodded my head bleakly, "Keith Darnell. They've assigned him as my partner and he's vowed to watch my every move like a hawk circling it's prey. If he finds out about…my indiscretion with Adrian; then I'm pretty much done for."

Julia sighed, looking just as disgusted as I felt,  
"What an ass. If it helps, I'd vouch for you. Just…Tell me if you need something, anything."

"Thanks, Julia. I appreciate it."

"What are friends for if not to aid each other in kicking scumbags like Keith to the curb?" 

* * *

**A/N: Updates may not be as frequent from this one onwards because I still haven't figured out how I'm planning to end this story and I haven't started polishing the remaining chapters as yet.**

**Reviews however, may help me polish faster…  
**  
**Yes, I know. Begging isn't attractive. But blackmail and extortion are kinda pretty! :D**


	17. 16: Gingerbread

**A/N: Gentle reminder that I KNOW the pace of this story is slow, and I'm sure a lot of you are looking for cutesy coupley Sydrian and sexy Sydrian and all that. It's coming. There will be tons of it, but this is a long story. If you are looking for a quick Sydrian fix or smut or a quick solution to all their problems then this is not the story for you. My story happens to be lengthy, I can all but promise you that it'll be worth it and hope for the best. So…Just sit back and let me tell the story the way it is. Patience, grasshoppers, is the key.**

**Anyway, I'd like to thank all the new reviewers I love you so much I know that this is not a very popular story but this way I get to appreciate each one of you. I re-read all the heartfelt reviews a billion times over when I feel like I'm having trouble writing, so it's super encouraging and I really appreciate it.**

***VIRTUAL HUG***

**Credits: This is written purely for fun, rights to all things Bloodlines related go to Richelle Mead. I have no affiliation with the author whatsoever.**

* * *

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Gingerbread

My hands were sweaty.  
I didn't like to sweat, it felt unsanitory to me. Which was also ironic considering I was  
in one of the hottest little cities in the state of California.

I wasn't sure if the nervousness, shame and anxiety was due to 1) My 'situation' with Adrian (for lack of a better term) 2) My forthcoming meeting with Lee's dad, Clarence Donohue or 3) My utterly embarrassing hangover that I was still reeling from.

Nonetheless, it sucked to be Sydney Sage right now.

I was back by Adrian's apartment, waiting for him to get in so that we could drive to Clarence's office. His secretary had sent me an address from a blocked number, probably for security reasons. And the text message had mentioned that Clarence had requested me to bring the accused—Adrian, with me for the rendezvous.

Also, I had this phantom ache in my chest from when I'd last met Adrian.  
We hadn't exactly left things on a jolly note. I felt my fears rehash as I watched Adrian walk towards my car.

He was wearing a black t-shirt with all kinds of paint strokes on it, I had the feeling he'd pimped his shirt at home with his very own paintbrush—what with all the free time he always had on his hands. He strode towards me, his hands stuffed in his pockets.  
He didn't even crack a smile.

A few minutes later, we were on the road heading towards the address we'd been supplied with. Both of us were silent, Adrian hadn't spoken a word since he'd gotten into the car. This was very unusual in Adrian standards. And I was worried.

I kept glancing at him between signals and breaks, but he just kept staring out the window—most probably in deep thought. The silence was physically hurting me. His last words to me were pretty optimistic, so I was surprised that he wasn't speaking to me. Finally, when I couldn't take it anymore, I spoke up.

This was probably the third time in this week alone that I'd swallowed my reserve and tried my best to communicate with him. It really was an accomplishment.

"Homemade shirt?" This time, I had no humor up my sleeve, also, I was fairly aware that I was horrible at small talk so I said whatever first struck my mind.

Adrian didn't even look at me.  
"Tell me. What is it like not to feel anything?"

The taunt stung, I'll admit—but it wasn't completely far-fetched.  
I figured I deserved much worse, the cold shoulder was in fact Adrian being liberal on me.  
I knew that.

I decided I had to do the morally right thing here and apologize.

"I'm sorry, Adrian. About earlier…I was just, well I've never been drunk before. I got a little panic-stricken when I woke up. A lot of the night's still a blur. It's not something I'm used to."

"You need to learn to step out of your comfort zone a little."

His voice was distant, he didn't sound mean—per say. But he did sound disturbed.  
Finally, he let the dent in his armor shine through.

Finally, after avoiding looking at me for what felt like a long time, he made eye-contact.  
That lasted a second, since I had to focus on the road.

"I'm sorry, too, Sage. But despite popular belief, everything's not about you. The thing is,  
we're about to meet Lee's old man. How many fathers do you know that would call their son's alleged killer over for a tea party?"

He made a solid point. I felt my cheeks flush as I realized how naïve I'd been.  
Of course he hadn't been thinking about me! I was being absolutely ridiculous expecting something like that from him. Not every waking thought of his consisted of trying to woo me. It was silly.

_Is it though?  
His last words to you are, and I quote,  
'I'm the guy for you. But one of these nights you're going to realize it.  
I'm the guy for you, Sydney Sage. You'll see.'  
_  
Okay, so it wasn't that impractical. Despite the way I felt about Adrian, I still had this need to comfort him.

That sad look in his pretty eyes completely shattered me.

I felt like my heart was breaking alongside his.  
Was it possible to feel such a way after knowing someone for only a short period of time?  
Apparently, the answer was yes.

"You're right. I have my suspicions, too. But we have got to assume the best."

He didn't respond. "Adrian…"  
"I know."

The rest of the car ride was made in silence.  
**  
**xxxxx

Mary Poppins could have lived here.

Clarence Donohue's house could've redefined the words 'rich and proper'.  
The mansion was ginormous. Adrian stepped out of the car behind me, gaping at the large mansion that set beyond the sidewalk, towering over us as if attempting to intimidate us.

The cream coating of the paint stood out in the night. Uniquely twisted fencing kept the house enclosed, neatly trimmed hedges surrounded the house. The roof was peaked, slanting down at an angle. The windows had royal purple curtains hanging on the other side of them, drawn so that the sunlight could stream through on a sunny day.

As we stepped onto the sidewalk, I noticed a marble fountain sitting towards the right side of the lawn. An angel holding a flower was perched on top, looking up towards the sky. Water spurted from its other hand, which lay gently out in front of it, as if waiting for someone to take it in return. The water fell gently towards the crystal blue pool beneath it, causing ripples to form and wave out until they were no more.

"I'm getting a very strange vibe. This guy's house screams pedo. Can we leave now?"  
I didn't bother replying to Adrian's groundless comment.

I could just stare in awe. Bushes trimmed into all sorts of animals and people littered the parts of the lawn that was not taken up by the fountain: cats, dogs, rabbits, giraffes, elephants, penguins, birds, snakes...All life-size.

"Are you kidding me? This is beautiful." I said.  
"All that glitters is not gold, Sage." Adrian shook his head,  
"Haven't you ever read Hansel and Gretal and the gingerbread house? I wouldn't be surprised if he called us over just to bake us into human pancakes."

I stabbed the doorbell, which glowed with a yellow light surrounding the white button.  
A small smile played on my lips, "Doubtful. But I promise if Mr. Donohue tries to eat us I'll offer myself up first." Adrian narrowed his eyes, "No, you're too beautiful to die."

Before I could scour my brain for a retort to that poetic response, the door opened.  
In front of us stood a lady wearing a black and white dress, her hair pulled back into a tight bun. "Ah, hello, You must be Sydney Sage and her friend. Mr. Donohue is up in his room."

I didn't attempt to ponder how this lady, who turned out to be Mr. Donohue's maid, knew that we were coming. I stole a glance around the place. The black and white linoleum floor of the entrance glowed, obviously having been cleaned before we came. Stairs lay across the room, climbing toward the ceiling. A doorway was on either side of the room, one admitting you into the kitchen, the other into the living room. The walls were a dark blue with silver brush swipes crossing over it, creating a shimmer effect.

"Follow me," Wordlessly, Adrian and I followed her upstairs which lead us into another hallway. Something told me that Clarence was the only one who accommodated this place.  
She knocked on the door, "Clarence, Sir? Your 8 'O Clock is here."  
"Ah, bring them in, Dorothy."

She opened the door and led us in. After a swift nod towards the old man,  
the housekeeper walked out the door, shutting it behind her. The sound of the door closing was eerily echoed throughout the room.

Clarence Donohue himself sat on a work chair in what I presumed was his home office.  
He had graying salt and pepper hair, and looked extremely agitated about something.  
He had this penetrating look on his face, you couldn't tell if this man was thinking about tonight's laundry or plotting world domination.

A laptop and a dozen wires, gadgets and a jar of Jelly beans were hastily sprawled across his desk. Behind him, was the world's largest pile of books I'd ever seen.

I could have picnicked in here.

There were ceiling-high shelves lined with several books of different colors that almost made an amusing mirage. There were sections and labels on every shelf, written in gold cursive.  
_History, Geography, Fiction, _there was even a shelf allotted to something called  
_The Dark Arts. _I shuddered.

He'd caught me admiring his collection.  
"Wonderful, isn't it? Most of them are first edition, acquiring them is an art in it's own I'd say,"

Adrian leaned in towards me, his warm breath sending goosebumps down my spine as he spoke into my ear.

"Hey Sage, this must be like Disneyland for you."  
I huffed, "Only better."

Apparently, the old man had the ears of an owl.  
"You like books, eh? You're welcome to borrow any of mine anytime you'd like."  
"Oh, I couldn't possibly…" I muttered, still a little taken aback by everything I'd just seen.

"Oh, no need to be modest, dear. What's an old man gonna' do with all this anyway?"  
He said, waving my words off with a swipe of his hand.

"Please, have a seat. Both of you." Clarence mumbled,  
I couldn't see where both of us could actually sit, considering there was only one empty chair in the room. Adrian gave me a nod of approval, and I sat down.

Adrian remained standing, leaning against a wall nearby with his hands crossed over his chest. Clarence was eyeing him, when he looked satisfied, his gaze shifted to me.

"Just as I'd thought, there's no chance this man killed my boy."

"Uh, right…Sir. I'm glad you believe us. But can I ask why you invited us here?"

Clarence's expression became a little muddled, and I thought I saw a hint of a scowl.  
"Ah, yes. I—I had a word with the police, a crappy bunch of men to be walking around in uniforms I say, anyhow…I bought some of the evidence that was found from them and kept it to myself. It's, ah, right here…"

He began to stand up, sifting through his messy room. "Do you need help, Mr. Donohue?" I supplied. He didn't respond, seconds later, he trudged back towards his seat.

"There we go," He put down a cardboard box out in front of me on the already scattered desk. I eyed it carefully. "You're free to look through." He said, chewing on a jelly bean from his jar.

I began to rummage through it, there were some old picture frames, a notebook,  
headphones…Simply mediacore everyday items. Nothing really caught my eye.

"Uh, What am I supposed to be looking for?"  
I was trying to keep my tone cool, I shot a quick glance at Adrian who'd grown awfully quiet again. I was going to have to get used to that. I could already tell that Clarence Donohue was testing his patience.

"Dean Martin's record, of course! Ah, yes. It was cruel indeed. My boy loved his music."  
There was no constructive way to put it, I was puzzled.  
"I'm sorry…?"

Clarence Donohue downed a few other jelly beans and gently pulled the box towards him,  
He produced a dusty, probably old, record from the box.  
"This was playing on the Ivashkov boy's record player when my son was found.  
Someone's idea of a joke, I presume. Artistic, too. In a maudlin sort of way."

This fit in to the story that I'd been told. Stanton had explained that the killer had 'put on a show', but she hadn't found it in her to let me in on the dirty details.

Adrian finally walked over to us, glaring at the rusty record like he was trying to make it spontaneously combust using his brain. Immediately, my hand was on his arm. It was like an internal reflex.

"Also," Clarence went on, oblivious to the animosity in the room.  
"The police believe that this was a man's job. They found a few footprints that indicated a large shoe size, not a particularly female size. We can't rule anything out yet, of course."

"Mr. Donohue…" I said, "We found a clue as well. A pocket knife, at the scene of the crime.  
I'm not sure if it connects the dots, considering your son's…erm'…considering the way your son looked after the incident. Well, I think we can rule out being stabbed to death. Which leads me to believe that our killer here is a trickster. He's trying to lead us on a futile goose chase…w-with a bunch of red herrings that don't add up. We're going to have to look deeper than the crime scene, which I believe is stashed with fabricated clues as to who the killer is."

"Well whoever the asshole is, he wants me to be the one to play bait! If my dad hadn't talked those police officers up, I'd be rotting in a jail cell by now." Adrian's voice was so cold I could barely recognize it as his own.

As far as I knew, he wasn't one to get angered easily. He hadn't even shown such rage when I'd mouthed him off earlier this morning. But now, his eyes flared like emerald fire,  
his teeth clenched, and his fists pumped.

But could I really blame him?  
_Being accused for a murder you didn't commit could do that to you._

I felt so horrible, I wanted to hug him then and there, pull him to me and tell him that we were going to figure this out and get him out of this endless labyrinth of perversity.

Clarence was staring at Adrian again, studying him.  
"Yes, your father. Mr. Nathan Ivashkov, not a very pleasant man, I take it.  
We met once, it was the Summer of '84, now those were the days. He never really approved of me. He blamed me for anything that went crashing and burning in his business.  
Ah, well. We can't control another's actions and feelings, only our own."

I'd almost forgotten that Mr. Donohue and Ivashkov senior had been the heads of rivaling multi-national corporations. I sighed, catching a wistful glint in the old man's eye. I took it that Clarence Donohue had the attention span of a toddler. He was already going off-topic, slipping into a story about back in the 'good ol' days' when he was wooing Lee's mother.

"Lianne was a special woman. Yes, I remember how hard it was to please her. But I'd succeeded. Did you know we once snuck into a yacht club party and pretended to be a prince and a duchess? Ah, yes. Those were the times…"

"Um, Mr. Donohue," I cut in, interupting him rather abruptly.  
Adrian was staring at the old man adamantly, "Hold on, he was just getting to the climax of the story."

I waved off his sarcasm and looked Clarence Donohue right in the eye.  
On the inside, I was petrified. I just hoped my nervousness didn't reach my eyes.  
"Sir, that's all very great. But we're here for business. Is there anything else you'd like to share? You've been a huge help so far. If there's anything else that you might've missed, anything important. Then please."

Clarence Donohue thought about this for a few moments and nodded grimly.  
"My son had started to get into trouble ever since he'd begun hanging out with that ex-girlfriend of his. Big influence, she was on him. Had a grip even I couldn't get on the boy. Kylie…Was her name? But he was also going around with another woman,  
he wouldn't tell me her name, of course."

"Do you know anything about this ex-girlfriend, sir? Not Kylie, the other one."  
I had a feeling she tied up into all of this somehow, even though I had no clue how.

"Except that she was cute as a button? None. Lee was very secretive about her."  
_Great. Hello Square One, nice to see you again. Ugh. Nothing. Zilch. Zero._

"I do have one thing that might help you identify her, though…" Mr. Donohue pulled out something else from the box.

"The two shared promise rings—sort of a declaration of love and of that sort. Let's just thank the lord they didn't ask for matching tattoos, huh? Kids these days." He laughed. "I believe that she'd still be wearing hers. Very expensive rings they were, yes. Real diamond. Costs a boatload of money, I suspect. My son was wearing it when he…ah, moved on to the spiritual realm," Clarence stopped talking when he opened the tiny box he'd pulled out. There was a sour expression on his face.

"Poppycock!" He exclaimed. When he saw our blank expressions, he shook his head.  
"I—I apologize for my use of foul language, kids. It's just…It seems like someone has stolen the ring right from under my nose. It's—It's gone."

I gasped, this just opened more doors and closed none. Who'd steal such an expensive ring? Why?

"Does anyone else live with you, Sir?"

"Only Dorothy, and she's a charm. Oh, yes, she is. She wouldn't harm a fly. And she did not take the ring, I am positive. This is field work. Someone must have snuck n! This is utter nonsense."

His voice was starting to get a little edgy. He looked around, staggering a little…The frustration on his face prominent. "Hasn't anyone heard of Security 'round here, folks? Fetch a house as big as it gets, and we allow trespassers on MY GROUNDS!"

I wasn't sure what to do or say, he didn't look like he was talking to anyone in particular.  
He kept bobbing his head skyward, as if yelling at the ceiling or signalling the gods.  
I couldn't tell which one was more deranged.

Adrian looked just as perplexed as I felt. He walked toward me and urged me to take a step back, after which he got right into Mr. Donohue's personal space. The sudden tension that he'd let out earlier was gone without a trace.

In a show of some creditable patience, Adrian grabbed the old man's hand and helped him calm down. "Mr. Donohue? Are you okay?" The man nodded after a few minutes, his breathing becoming less laboured. Clarence Donohue nodded and grabbed Adrian's shoulders. If Adrian was perturbed by this, he didn't show it.

"Listen to me, son. Find out who…who did this to him. To my Lee… He wasn't  
the most charming lad, I know. But he was young, as you are. When I…When I  
find out who did this to him, I'll make them pay. I promised her. I promised Lianne…"

I was still taken aback by Mr. Donohue's behaviour. For a wealthy business man who owned a large multi-national corparation, he was quite the mess. I felt my heart ache for him, he'd lost his family, the only living member—his own son, from it. Meeting him just made my blood boil, it was fundamental that I find the culprit now. Too much was at stake.

I knew that now that I'd gotten into this gig I wouldn't be able to turn a blind eye,  
no matter what happened. A few minutes later, after we'd gathered some more information from him, I remembered something.

"Sir, do you have a picture of the ring by any chance? Or, ah, can you describe it?"

Mr. Donohue nodded and handed me the entire cardboard box. It wasn't too heavy,  
but Adrian—in a stealthy show of manliness, offered to take it off my hands.

"There is a photo of him in one of the picture albums, his ring is quite clearly distinguishable there." I nodded, thanking him.

"Kids? Good luck. I, for one, will do whatever I can to be of assistance.  
I can come to your hearing, stand up for your case, Ryan. If you'd have me."

I was about to correct him, explaining that his name was Adrian, not Ryan. But surprisingly, Adrian held me back, squeezing my hand from his free one. We thanked him again, even though his intentions were pure, I had the feeling Clarence's presence would probably make things worse rather than better in the court of law.

"One more thing,"

"Lee wants you to know that it was not your fault. You must stop blaming yourself, son.  
You have a strong, talented young girl by your side. I think you will prevail. Lee thinks so too. He wouldn't tell me much else, unfortunetely. I think he just did not want you to think any less of him."

And on that disturbing note, we began to walk out again.

"One more thing," Clarence muttered once more, we reluctantly turned around again,  
seeing as we didn't have much of a choice in the matter.

He smiled goofily, raising his box of candies towards us and shaking it.  
"Jelly Bean?"

xxxxx

"The guy was either very stoned or a little cuckoo in the head. I'm not really sure which one. Either way, I'm just glad it's over." Adrian mumbled, as we walked back to Latte. I was only half-listening to him. This meeting with Clarence had just muddled the waters and raised a million more questions. How was I ever going to figure this out?

Suddenly, my phone began to ring. My heart stopped as I noticed who was calling me. It was my father.

"Adrian…" My voice was bitter.  
"Yeah?"  
"Can you d-drive please? I need to take this call."

I didn't stutter often, so when I did, I think Adrian knew better than to question me further.  
Without another word, he got into the driver's seat and I made my way to the seat besides him. I picked up the phone, raising it ever so slowly to my ear, as if it was  
going to explode right there in my grip.

"Father," I was trying to sound responsible,  
but my voice just came out shaky and awkward.

"Sydney. How is the case going?"

"It's going alright. I, uh, I'm trying my best to get to the bottom of things.  
Results are still a bit inconclusive but we're getting there."

"Bottom of things? Who are you, Sherlock? Sydney, why can't you just keep out of it?  
Your job is not to poke and prod, get your facts straight, make a case for the boy and  
a compelling one at that, then be done with it. There's no need for theatrics."

_Theatrics? A man's entire future and his life is at the gamble here!_

I didn't even want to contemplate how my father could speak so nonchalantly about something like this. His voice was so condescending, I winced. It was like he was sending me cold vibes through the phone connection all the way from home. I took a deep breath, hoping my voice didn't sound too disrespectful with my next words.

"But, father. I have to gather all the data if I want to make a solid case. I…I think  
that it would be helpful if I was in on all this. Donna told me that as lawyers,  
we have the potential to either provide or snatch away justice."

My father simply scoffed, I could practically picture him scowling and shaking his head,  
thinking about what a disappointment I was.

"Donna is many things, but realistic she is not. That's impractical, Sydney, and you know that. If our job was to seek justice we might as well pull on red capes and call ourselves super-heroes. The world doesn't work that way, girl. Your job is to do what the nice rich man asks you, without question."

I didn't appreciate his tone, he was implying that we put someone else's life on the line for our own material gain, and I was the impractical one.

"Come on, father. There's more to our job than that."

"Are you questioning my methods? I have seen 'heaps more winters than you, girl.  
I did not just become a great lawyer overnight. Now do as you are told.  
Do you understand me?" I wanted to protest, I wanted to yell, I wanted to bang my phone against the floor and crush it so hard. Of course, I didn't do any of those things.

_You are your own person, Sage. Not a chess piece in someone else's game._

But I knew the rigid truth, that was _exactly_ who I was. They said jump, I asked how high, and then I got the job done. A chess piece… Being tossed around in a charade by people who claimed to be authority figures but had no real sense of morality.

I wasn't even a daughter to this man.

"And Sydney?"  
"Yes?" My voice still came out timid, despite my mind's many protests.  
"I do not want you to spend more time with the boy than you have to. Keith has been worried about your safety with him, I know his father tells you that the boy's not a killer, but he might as well be one. Stay away from him. You are not there to mingle. Duty comes first."  
"But…"  
"No buts, Sydney. It will not only destroy your career, but also your life."  
"I have to go. Don't make me have to call you again. Goodbye."  
"Dad!"  
"Report back to me when you can, Miss Sage. And it better be good news."

He cut the call.

"Ugh!" I flipped my phone shut and shifted towards the window, I could already feel warm tears pricking my eyes, and I wasn't one reduced to tears very easily. I had given up so much for my father. While other girls would be stressing about boys and parties, I sat at home dealing with math equations and solving crossword puzzles.

I remember one day a friend of mine who went to a real school had asked me to join her for her high school prom, since I'd been home-schooled I'd always wanted to go to one of those things, just for the experience of it all. I remember the fear that crept up my spine when I asked him if I could go. My father had refused, obviously and broken the news to me that I was going to be following in his footsteps.

Worst of all, my sister Zoe was going to repeat all my mistakes. For the first time in my life, I could feel myself questioning my father, doubting everything I ever knew and everyone I'd ever put my faith in.

"Sage?" I twisted my neck, and my eyes met Adrian's royal green ones.  
His eyes were filled with concern. _Concern for me._

"What's wrong?" He asked.  
"It was him!" I cried, anger pulsing through me. I was the last one to be consumed by my own fury, but I guess I was going through a transitional period of life.

_Keith, that little rat!_ He was feeding fables to my father again!  
This time, I'd had enough. He was going to pay.

_Maybe it was time he lost the other eye…  
_  
One more look at my face and Adrian took a brisk U-turn.  
I frowned, "What are you doing!?"

"I know that look, Sage. That's a look of death. You need to cool off.  
And since I'm such a charitable guy, I'm going to take the responsibility of making you  
feel better into my own hands."

"Adrian. Take me home. _Now_."  
"No."

I didn't have the energy nor the motivation to get into an argument with him right now.  
So I let this one go, slumping into my seat, I frowned once more.

I _knew_ I shouldn't have let him take the wheel.

* * *

**A/N: Liking it so far? I played around with Clarence's character a bit so as you can tell he isn't exactly alike to the one from Bloodlines. Anyway, please review. The next chapter is one of my favorites and filled to the rim with Sydrian goodness.**

**So stay tuned,**

**And please.**

**Review. ;)**

**xxx**


	18. 17: Over The Rainbow

**A/N: Thankyou for all the positive reviews on the last chapter. This chapter is one of my favourites in this story, and it was inspired by me having a slight obsession with the random Taylor Swift song, 'Starlight'. If you've heard the song, you might catch words, references or phrases. I'd also mark this chapter as a turning point in their relationship. I'm pretty sure this mostly puts an end to Sydney's denial.**

**You guys HAVE to review on this one, I really would like to know what you think about it. Now, I don't want to give much away so without further ado.**

**Credits: This is written purely for fun, rights to all things Bloodlines related go to Richelle Mead. I have no affiliation with the author whatsoever. P.S One of the quotes used in this chapter is from the popular television franchise Buffy so credits for that go to them. **

* * *

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Over The Rainbow

It's like Adrian had discovered a little piece of heaven.

We'd drove on for over an hour, which I didn't mind primarily because I was too absorbed in my own conflicted thoughts. Adrian had been uncharacteristically quiet, as well. As I hopped out of the car, though, I was almost positive we weren't in Palm Springs anymore. And I wondered how on earth had Adrian led me here.

We strode up a moon bleached path, the air was warm and crisp. I thought I heard an owl swoop overhead as we made our way towards a lake. The lake itself looked mystical. There was a serenity to it, with a quiet stillness all around.

The sky was like a dark mantle sweeping across the sky, studded with pulsating diamonds.

A low, waning gibbous moon hovered tenuously in the twilight firmament, bestowing a very dim light upon the land. The moon's shimmering reflection cast a silvery sparkle on the still waters. Briefly, a dark, wispy cloud eclipsed the crescent moon. For a few shadowy moments, it looked like there was a halo around the cloud, a dull aura of lunar luminescence.

The fireflies caught my attention. I lifted my gaze for a moment to admire them in their  
glowing golden fury. They flew around the area like tiny aureate orbs.

"Wow," I breathed, unsure if this was real life.

For a few mesmerized moments, all I could do was stare in awe. I forgot all my troubles, Keith, my Father, even the case. "It's like Utopia, isn't it?" Adrian's voice was equally dazed.

"It's unreal. How did you find this place?"

I was almost positive I hadn't ever laid eyes on a landscape possibly more beautiful than this. Adrian nested down on the grass near the lake and asked me to take a seat, too.  
I was so in love with this place that I did as he pleased, and settled down besides him.

"I discovered this place on one of my many adventures last year. Of course, I kinda fell in love with it as soon as I did. I've been coming here for some alone time ever since. You'd think I would bring girls here to impress them, but this place is like holy ground. So I kept it to myself—the less people that know about it, the better. I want to preserve its beauty."

"But you brought me here," I pointed out, turning to face him. The moon was doing good things for his hair again, he looked almost angelic.

He smiled mischeviously, "Yeah, yeah. I did."

I looked out at the scenery around us, my mind finally slowed down a little. It was like I could breathe again. This was some sort of a paradise. A safe place.

"Sydney," The way my name rolled off his tongue, I had goosebumps all over my body again. "Yes?"

"You look like a goddess in the moonlight."  
"Stop flirting."  
"I'm not flirting; only telling it like it is."  
"Oh, please."

We were both silent for a while, then Adrian picked up a few rocks, and stood up.  
He began tossing one across the lake; a heartbeat later there was a splash sound.  
"Sage, I'm not devoid of ethics and boundaries you know. This case is just as important to me as it is to you."

I laid down on the grass, the wet spikes pricking at my hair, but for once, I was unaffected by something as trivial as that. "I know," I replied. "No, you don't. I know that what we did was wrong. But I've never felt like this before. I know I sound like a Taylor Swift song, and I can pretend like you don't faze me. But truth is, Sage, it's all about you." He tossed another rock into the lake, more violently this time.

"God damnit, Sage. You've turned this badass into a walking talking Soap Opera!"

I smiled slightly, but I also felt terrible for him. I felt that way about him, too. I really did.  
Maybe in an alternate universe, things would've been different. Everything about Adrian was electric; pure and enigmatic. He was everything and nothing at the same time.

I couldn't quite describe the feeling I got when I was around him,  
but I knew that it was strong—very strong.

"I wish that things weren't so complicated, Adrian. But there are rules and regulations—they're bigger than both of us. We have to look at the big picture."

I didn't believe my own words, I wanted to take them back. My instinct was telling me wayward things like, _Go kiss him already! You know you want to!_

But somewhere in that puddle of emotions; my brain was still calling the shots.

"Oh, please. Spare us both the modest crap. I know that you felt it too, I remember everything about that kiss—in picturesque detail._You_ kissed _me_."

"Will I ever live that down?"

Adrian threw his third pebble into the lake and turned towards me.

"No, you won't." His face was extremely earnest now. "You know what you are, Sage? A compulsive rule follower who seeks the approval of authority figures and tends to let others walk all over her."

He knew just where to hit where it hurt. Of course he did, he knew all my weaknesses—and was becoming an expert at exploiting them with great skill.

"I'm not trying to offend you, alright? But clearly your dad's an enormous dick who doesn't have half the wit to know what you're worth. And you're worth a lot—Sage. If you could just give up the Mother Teresa act, you'd see."

I refused to buy into his words; but another part of me, perhaps an alter ego of some sort,  
was digesting every syllable. _Was there some truth laced to his words?  
_  
_Was I really a kiss-up to authority figures? _I didn't even have to ask myself that question, I knew the answer.

"I notice that you keep worrying so much about things you can't change. All this  
overthinking isn't going to lead you anywhere. You'll just create new problems that weren't even there in the first place." Adrian went on. I sat up, glaring at him now.

"I know that! So I suck up to authority figures. It's only been my whole life! I didn't get what you got, Adrian. My life was thoroughly planned out for me by my father. It's all this perfectly constructed done deal. I can't just give up on everything that I've ever known to pursue a promiscuous romantic interlude with you!"

Adrian stopped tossing pebbles, he dropped the rest of the stones to the ground and crouched down towards me so that we were making eye-contact again. His emerald eyes looked heavenly in the moon bathed atmosphere.

"You're getting me wrong. Don't do this for me, Sage. Do it for yourself."

"If you're so in love with me, why are you trying to change me in the first place?  
Isn't there a rule against this in the dating handbook?"

Adrian's brow furrowed and he grabbed my hands, lacing my fingers with his. That familiar warmth that always spread through me like a jolt of electricity hit right on cue.

"I'm not asking you for anything when I express my love—or whatever this is, for you. It's not because I want you or because I can't have you. It has nothing to do with me. I love what you are, what you do. I love how you try. You're an amazing person, better than I'll ever be in a dozen lifetimes. You should know that."

My stomach had tied into a knot by the time he finished his sentence. The butterflies were on a parade—with drums so heavy they felt like the weight of the world and a trumpet that was so loud it was deafening.

_If he knew some of the things I'd done. Would he still regard me the same?_

A terribly daunting part of my mind told me the answer to that was a yes. It was almost impossible to feel this much, but I had to hold back tears again. Nobody had ever spoken about me which such fondness and stuck by me with such dedication. I wanted to kiss him, tell him that I felt the same way.

But something kept holding me back.

Before I could save myself the embarrassment, a tear streamed down my right eye.  
Adrian smiled again, his smile was sympathetic. Slowly, he raised his hand up to my face and gently brushed the tear away with his thumb. It was the smallest gesture, but my nerves were already on fire again.

I bit back my urges though.

"I'm coming on too strong, aren't I?" He joked. I could only shake my head.

"Nobody's ever…Adrian, you _have _to know that I'm not trying to string you along. I'm just—I don't know who I am anymore. There's more to it than just moral codes, all I'd ever wanted was my father's acknowledgement. I wanted to see the pride shown in his eyes when I fulfilled his dream."

"There we go again, _his_ dream, Sage. But he had his moment in the spotlight. This is _your_ life, you are allowed to have dreams and goals that differ from his. You don't even have the slightest idea of how amazing you are. How intelligent and strong. You could rule the world someday."

The tears were back, if this was Adrian's way of getting girls, then he was the world's best actor. But I knew that was just another one of my delusions, I could see how sincere he was in his eyes. He really did think that highly of me, I wanted to feel flattered, but I just felt sad. I'd stumbled onto him, I couldn't help but feel like I didn't deserve it. His love, his warmth. I kept feeling like my path was a different one—a path of morals and tweed-clad suits. A monotonous, drone-like life, like I was fated to end up like my father. His…His path was different. His path was one of adventures and golden chariots, he was too precious. He was full of love and compassion; a truly beautiful; passionate soul.

I felt like he was an ocean, and I was merely a wave.

I didn't want to keep him from his amazing destiny. I…I wanted him to have a better life. He wouldn't have that if he was on the run with me, trying to blend in with the crowd rather than stand out and shine bright. If I stuck by his side, what kind of future would we even have? Fugitives on the run? Would we share a jail cell? What if my father did something to him? What if they sentenced him to death for his crime? It was all too messed up, too risky.

Yet, at the same time there was a part of me that was yelping that I take the chance. Guys like him showed up once in a lifetime, maybe not even. How could I turn a blind eye after meeting someone so colorful and alive like him? How could I go back to my normal routine? I felt like I was a completely different person altogether now. I didn't know what I was, I wasn't sure I'd ever learn. My voice was squeaky with my next words.

"I can't do anything right anymore, Adrian. I'm lost and confused."

"Hey—We all have crosses to bare. I don't want to be this good looking and athletic."

I managed a small laugh, and he smiled again, his smile lit up his whole face. He twirled a strand of my hair in his finger and put it behind my ear, his other hand that was still laced with mine was brought up to his lips and he kissed every one of my fingers on it. Everytime his lips made contact with my skin,a tingle raced through me. It started with my finger, and made it's way up my spine.

To my disappointment, he let go of my hand. But then he lay down on the grass,  
and I laid down too, besides him. None of us said a word for the next few minutes.  
And I was sure that it was the loudest silence in the world.

xxxxx

"And right there, is Orion's Belt." I pointed at a constellation in the star-littered sky above.

It could be seen to the north. It had taken its place for the night amongst a thousand other celestial constellations known and unknown, real and imagined. Adrian was laying awfully close to me, and we were also holding hands.

"That one looks like a naked girl," Adrian laughed, potentially ruining the moment.

I scoffed, "Of course that's all you think about."

"No, no. Go on. I like it when you go all Big Bang Theory on me."

I didn't bother to comment at his silly reference and stared up at the sky. The warmth of his skin was enticing my body, and it itched for more contact.

"You know some of the stars we're looking at don't even exist anymore?  
In the time that it takes for their light to reach us, they've died." I explained.

I could feel Adrian's eyes on me again, and I took another deep breath.  
"I want to see the stars from virtually every place on the planet that its humanly  
possible to travel to."

"I didn't know you liked to travel."

"Liked is an understatement, Sage. This world's not ready for Adrian Ivashkov yet. If only immortality wasn't just a myth. There's so much to do and discover. Don't you ever wonder? What else is out there? What are you missing out on right now? If you had the time, money and resources. What would you be rather doing?"

In all honesty, I'd never considered it like that. I'd always been too busy 'looking at the big picture' to enjoy the little moments. But now, being here with Adrian, I was starting to realize that there was so much more to life than the little shell I'd limited myself to.

"I'd never taken it like that before." I muttered.

"Well, you should. I mean, I stay up at night sometimes…wondering how it would look like  
from the top of the world. There is so much to do and see, but instead of spending our lives dreaming and adventuring. Most of us spend every waking hour working towards pointless things, hiding away in our rooms, never stepping out of that compartmentalized and monotonous routine while the world passes us by in the blink of an eye."

That's when I realized how unique Adrian was, his world moved so fast and burnt so bright.  
His thoughts were crazy, but they were so passionate that I didn't want him to stop. My grip on his hand loosened, he didn't seem to bare notice.

"I just want to live a life worth living you know. Plenty of time to slack off when we're old and boring, right? Imagine that, I'm talking my mouth off to some has-been, poker playing Grandpa, going on and on about my glory days…"

I laughed, trying to visualize an old and ragged Adrian; I couldn't. He was looking at me again, his eyes boring into mine with such a sharp, penetrating look that I suddenly felt naked. It was like he was able to see right through me again.

I wasn't sure how comfortable I was with this. I'd always held my own, living with my father I'd learnt how to deal with the cold, ashen world when I was really young. Back then, my father was like this great, untouchable, experienced man who knew everything. My sister and I had always admired his brilliance and strength.

_Never let your guard down. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.  
Everything is not what it seems. Danger is always lurking, creeping, sleeping in the shadows. You must be able to laugh in the face of tradegy.  
A good lawyer gives his client their money's worth and asks no ifs or buts._

If someone would have asked me merely a few weeks ago, I would have told them

that the lessons my father gave me were knowledgeable and smart. Now that I thought about it, though, his lessons sounded contrived and passé.

"You have the cutest laugh."  
"I have the cutest everything in your eyes."  
"Exactly."

I looked away from him again. _If looks could kill…_  
I sighed, still staring up at the starry sky. I had no idea how much time had passed on  
in the real world, I knew that I had obligations, and so did he.

But for now, just for a few more minutes…I wanted to freeze this moment in time before us. I wanted to stay here, in our little piece of heaven, over the rainbow where everything  
was calm and tranquil and the world only consisted of the two of us.

"So what are your hopes and dreams, Sage? If you weren't a lawyer, what would you be?"

I thought about this. Architecture had always fascinated me, however, plenty things  
fascinated me.

I shrugged, "I never really got the chance to sit and think about it, I guess. I always knew it at the back of my head that I was going to end up a carbon copy of my father. So, I guess, I limited myself to those things on purpose."

"Come on. Everybody has dreams. I mean, don't you dream of impossible things? It could be anything, crazy, even. I always thought being a pirate would be cool. Sailing the lone seas, travelling to the edge of the world. With a hook for a hand." He snorted, and I wasn't sure whether this was a joke or not.

There were some things about him that were still a mystery to me.

"Impossible things are impossible for a reason. Why would I waste my time thinking about  
feats that I know I'll never achieve?"

Adrian groaned, and rolled onto his side so that he was facing me again.  
"Oh, Sage. You'll spend your whole life singing the blues if you keep thinking that way."

I knew that he was right. This world wasn't baren and broad, there was so much more to it.  
I think it was just sad that I'd needed Adrian's influence to see that. I was sure that if I brainstormed enough, I'd come up with a list of things I wanted to do too.

"So, a pirate? _Really_?"

He smiled; there was this ever so slight curve to his lips that seemed to structure his entire face when he smirked like that. "Yeah, really. So start naming your crazy dreams. Go."

"Okay, let's see. I always wanted to win the Nobel Prize."  
"I always wanted a dirt bike." Adrian went on.  
"Drink coffee underneath the Eiffel tower." I suggested.  
"Have ten kids with my good looks and your intelligence, then teach them how to dream."

I arched an eyebrow at that one.

"Crazy, remember?"

"Well, in that case. I think that scuba-diving would be a breath-taking experience."  
"I always thought if I managed to out-rich my dad, I'd buy myself an Island and name it  
the Ivashkov Palace."

I started to chuckle again. I wasn't sure there was much humor to it, but there was certainly contentment. Here we were, a lawyer and her client who were in a great deal of trouble. Adrian might go to jail, and I might be outed by Keith, who'd in turn tell my father and my superiors about it and we could lose this case. Knowing my father in his enraged state, I could probably lose my life alongside it.

And suddenly, none of that mattered.

I could feel the world slipping away once more. Adrian leaned in to me again, his right hand coming to rest atop my waist. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and I wasn't even drunk.

We were kissing again, and this time, I let him.

* * *

**A/N: Review. Review. Review.**

**Pretty please? You'll get virtual cookies! :D**

**xxx**


	19. 18: The Game That Plays Us

**A/N: This chapter isn't one of my best but my updates are going to be unfortunately a little slow, here on out since I haven't gotten much time to write lately. Still, I hope you guys like this. Please review. Don't hesitate. Review. P-L-E-A-S-E? :D**

**I do not own today's chapter title.**

**Credits: This is written purely for fun, rights to all things Bloodlines related go to Richelle Mead. I have no affiliation with the author whatsoever.**

* * *

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The Game That Plays Us

He smiled, a small trickle of laughter leaving his lips as he slowly bent toward me, his lips grazing mine ever so softly. It was almost as if he was testing my boundary line. My hand instinctively met the side of his cheek, slowly urging his lips harder against mine. It was as if every ounce of me wanted his lips on mine, to feel his hands as they traced the contour of my body. I pulled away ever so slightly to breathe, trying not to show just how vulnerable I seemed to be.

My gaze moved from his eyes to his lips and once more his soft lips were against mine, one hand slowly but surely tangling into my hair. Each intake of breath was another reminder of what was really happening, his cologne, the way his hands entangled in my hair, pressing my lips against his with a more urgent pace.

It was maddening. I'd never been this overcome with sexual need before.

I wasn't sure whether this was a new high or a new low for me, I liked to believe the former. I could practically see the image of my father's disapproving scowl form in my head, it made me feel like a rebel. That was something I never thought I'd think about and actually find funny. There was humor to it, an irony that was laughable. That I, Sydney Katherine Sage, was breaking the rules that had been set for me and actually relishing in the perks of it.

His t-shirt was scattered on the floor somewhere, completely disregarded. My hands scanned the expanse of his torso, I carefully brushed the scar near his navel that he'd received from that bizarre night. My lips grazed against it and he sucked in a breath. There was heat between us, radiating, making us glow.

Somewhere at the back of my mind were all the priorities and duties that lurked around us. People who I had to face sooner or later. Brayden, Donna Stanton, Keith Darnell, Mark the killer… But none of that seemed important right now. My life seemed like a distant memory. Another lifetime ago.

No. My real life was beginning _now_. Here, with _him_…

"Sage," Adrian's voice was hoarse. "You sure you want to do this?"

Was I sure? I didn't know, but I also didn't want my brain to shift back into gear. Logical thinking would ruin the moment, so I responded to his doubt with a quick nod of the head, an '_mmhm_' and another trail of kisses down his neck.

My brain shut down again, and the pure ecstasy of our shape-shifting mouths swirling and puckering with each delicious smack of escaping air overcame my entire body. The goosebumps on my skin stood vigilant, waiting to shoot off into space at any moment. My arms squeezed his head against mine, my fingers tracing their way through the back of his hair while his explored the rest of my body.

And then the telecom buzzed.

Reality smacked me in the face so briskly I almost fell off the bed.

If I were to tell you the situation was awkward it would be an understatement.

Adrian let go of me, and I pulled my shirt back down, embarrassed. I was aware that my body was still tingling from all the contact and my bra was still undone, I flinched as I picked up the phone and shifted slightly away from him on the bed.

"Yes?" I wasn't sure why my voice came out so agitated. "Is this Miss Sage? You have a visitor. He asked me to tell you his name is Mark Hastings. Shall I let him to your room?"

I froze, my whole body tensed up and for once it had nothing to do with Adrian. All this time we'd been on the prowl for Mark Hastings but we hadn't been prepared for him to come find us. Not us, come find _me_. If Adrian hadn't been at my hotel room right now I would have been alone; defenseless. After that night in our little Utopia, I'd dropped Adrian and headed back to the hotel. This morning, he'd come over to discuss more strategies but we'd ended up making out.  
_  
And now Mark was here. Just downstairs. Why was he here? Was he planning to get rid of me the way he got rid of Lee?_

But asking the receptionist to inform me that he was here wasn't awfully Killer-like.

I had the chance to flee. One look at my pale face and all the desire and lust vanished from Adrian's eyes, replaced by nervousness as his body tensed up.

"What is it?"  
"Hold on one second, please." I told the receptionist and put my hand over the receiver,  
away from my ear. "There's a killer here to see me, that's what!" Adrian jumped off the bed and began fumbling for his t-shirt. "Don't let him up, Sydney. We don't know what he's capable of."

Adrian was right, I knew that. But apparently my brain really was off its game today. Instead of listening to Adrian, I gulped. "Let him up."

All my life I'd done things according to protocol, a few weeks ago if I hadn't had a solid plan as to how to deal with people like Mark, I wouldn't have invited him up. Instead, I would have called up my superiors and flipped out at them. But after last night with Adrian; I'd learnt a few things. And it wasn't just the night with him, it was almost getting killed by a gun-toting maniac, too.

I knew now that you can't always be prepared and equipped with a plan for everything. The big moments are going to come, whether we like it or not. Nobody asks for their lives to change, but they do anyway. I was done being the chess piece in someone else's game. I wasn't going to be a helpless puppet. It was time I took some things into my own hands.

Was my plan reckless? Yes, considering I didn't have one in the first place. But this was a now or never deal.

What I wasn't expecting once I cut the phone, was Adrian unleashing into an angry rant.

"Are you insane? Look, I know that I told you earlier that we had to find Mark as soon as possible. And I know that you're trying out this whole rebel with a cause thing and that's great, Sage. It really is. But you can't be this reckless! We have no idea what Mark will do!"

I sighed and put the telecom down, flashing Adrian a look that I hoped was reassuring. It was extremely ironic that Adrian was the one calling _me_ reckless. The tables really had turned. "That would be running away, I don't think that's something we can do at this point. We don't have a lot of time and we've been trying to locate Mark anyway; so he found us. The opportunity's there, we just have to grab it."

I liked catching Adrian off-guard, under different circumstances, I would've been amused.  
His jaw was dropped open. "Do you remember what you once asked me?" I muttered.

Adrian arched an eyebrow. "Do you trust me?" I echoed his foregoing question. "With everything I've got, Sage."

I couldn't help but blush at his response.

"Someone once told me that it's okay to seize the moment." I pointed out.

A hint of a smile played at his lips, "I knew it. There really _is_ more to you than meets the eye."

I ran to the bathroom and fixed my bra and hair, we had to at least look intimidating. I wasn't sure what was going to happen once I opened that door, but having Adrian at my side did help remedy my anxiousness. I pulled out a pepper spray from my purse and stood by the door. Adrian grinned, "Quoting me _and_ pulling out pepper spray? You're one insane move away from becoming one of Charlie's Angels." I smirked at him and Adrian put a hand to his heart in mock emotion.

"You have no idea how much you're turning me on right now, Sage."

I wanted to smile, but I was afraid I would throw-up if I did. I could pretend like I was at the top of the situation in front of him, but I knew the truth. My stomach dropped as I heard a knock at my door.

_Are you REALLY doing this? _A strange voice that sounded awfully like my father questioned me inside my head. _What does it look like? Yes, I am. _The other voice wasn't pleased with my response: _This is a bad decision. You are unprepared and unarmed. You cannot go into a battle blind. _I took a deep breath, _At least I'll be going into battle. _It was time I said goodbye to standing in the bleachers and gawking. It was time I took some serious action.

I shut out my Inner Jared. Adrian was beaming at me as I walked towards the door, his eyes weren't doing good things for those repressed sexual instincts. The butterflies were going nuts, having a party inside my stomach. They were soon joined by my Inner Jared and my ovaries. Even they weren't immune to those forest green eyes.

Another knock sounded at the door and I was brought out of my fantasies.

I took a deep breath, Adrian was already at my side as I peered through the peep-hole. Slowly but cautiously, I opened the door. Before Mark could even take a step towards us, Adrian leapt in front of me. "Stay away from her, you psychotic freak!"

I was about to back that religious move up with a witty line but it dissolved at my lips as I took a good look at Mark's face, which was plainly confused. Mark was wearing his bartender apparel and was carrying a tote bag in his other hand. He frowned, puzzled. "What? What did I do?"

Adrian's eyes flared with rage once more, "You know very well what you did!"  
"Um, Adrian…" Gently, I placed a hand on his arm and pulled him back.

I decided that whether or not Mark was the killer, we would have to play subtle. "Mark, please come in." He looked from me to Adrian and then finally did as I said, I winced as he shut the door behind him and placed the tote bag on the ground. "I need to talk to you guys. I've been receiving more haunting messages..Thought you could help."

"We know everything, bro. The gig's up." I knew that Adrian was upset, but his outright straightforwardness was going to ruin everything. "What?" Mark frowned.

"Give us a second, Mark?"  
He nodded and I pulled Adrian to the side with me.  
"I'm going to go easy on him," I whispered.  
"He's a killer. He doesn't deserve 'easy'."  
"Adrian, trust me."  
"We're going to play Good Cop, Bad Cop. Now I get it. Good thinking."  
"Adrian."  
"Alright, fine. Just stop saying my name like that."

We returned to Mark after that, I was trying to study his body language, and I kept my distance from him at the same time, with the pepper spray tucked in to the back pocket of my jeans. He looked too nervous for a guy who was supposed to be innocent. Unfortunately, he also didn't look nervous enough to be a killer. It was mind boggling. "What have you got, Mark?" I finally asked.

He produced a laptop and a small canister from his tote bag. "I have been doing some investigating of my own. I thought we should join forces because everytime I get close to something, the killer sends me a heartfelt gift."

"What do you mean?"

He opened the canister and took a deep breath, after which he pulled out a piece of jewelry. It was a small bracelet made of tiny shells, or at least, that's what it looked like. "Do you know what this is?" Mark questioned. I nodded no, eyeing Adrian who still looked like he could punch Mark in the face right this second if I gave him the cue.

He walked over to us and handed it to me. I studied it. _These aren't shells…_ "It's a bracelet and its made of human fingernails." I shrieked and dropped the bracelet to the floor. Adrian's eyes widened, "What kind of sick joke is this?"

Mark shook his head grimly, "Would I lie to you about something like this? I receive a morbid gift like this every time I think I'm getting somewhere. There's more stuff in this box. And, I've recorded some of those voice messages I received on my laptop."

"Have—Have you tried checking any of these for fingerprints?"

"Been there, done that. Turns out these 'fingernails' were purchased from a black magic shop downtown. They're probably years old and preserved. I got 'em tested for fingerprints and zilch. I'm gonna assume the killer's put some real thinking into this."

I wasn't sure what to make out of all this. _Was I supposed to trust him? How could I when I had so much evidence supporting that he was the one behind all this? Was everything he brought in the tote bag legit?  
_  
"Mark, I found a tape. Lee was arguing with someone on said tape. And I think that the person he was arguing with was you. But you, very carefully managed to crop your voice out of it. You were in love with her, weren't you? With Lee's on again, off again girlfriend Kylie? That provides you with a motive for murder."

I just had to come out and say it. Adrian was staring at me with a look that pretty much conveyed his feelings: _You're nuts. _I didn't know what had gotten into me today, either.

I wasn't even sure if I knew who I was anymore.

All the color drained out of Mark's face. His eyes darted in every corner but he wouldn't look into my eyes. "What did you do, Mark?" My voice was deadpan.

"I…Look, it—it isn't what you think it—it is. Alright?" He was rubbing his palms together now, and he honestly looked like he was going to be sick. In a cartoon version of my life, Mark's face would have been awash with green. "Enlighten us." I said.

Adrian moved away from the wall he was leaning against, his foot coming to a stop right in front of my own. It was a protective gesture; one that I appreciated, but suddenly, I was bursting with adrenaline. I had this feeling that I could tackle anything. I thought Adrian's pep talk last night was the cause for most of it. I wasn't sure if this newfangled sense of danger and relentlessness was going to cause more harm in my life or not.

"I…Just…I didn't kill him, okay? We just fought a lot. I did crop my voice off those tapes  
so that the police wouldn't have any evidence against me. But, uh…They were stolen. I…" He was stuttering again. I could tell that he was having an awfully difficult time finding his words.

"Nervousness isn't a pretty color on you, Hastings. But nor is red. So tell us the truth—the full truth , before we drag your sorry ass to court." Adrian was done being quiet, his voice was calm enough, but it was laced with anguish.

"Someone's got access to my house! That's how they keep dropping all these things by my place and that's how they must have stolen the tapes. If blaming Adrian doesn't work out, they're going to point the pistol at me. He's got the proof…Or well, not anymore since you two managed to get the tapes somehow. The…Killer, whoever it is…He's playing a dangerous game, and we're all his pawns. Trust me."

_A dangerous game. Pawns_? I was done being a pawn. This enraged me further but I took a deep breath and counted to ten. I had made my fair share of rash decisions for today, I wasn't about to elongate that list.

Adrian arched an eye-brow. "Prove it." Mark thought about this, "Maybe I should play…play the tapes for you! I wouldn't make those up."

I knew that it would take me more than a few recordings to believe that he's innocent,  
but I was definitely curious about the tapes, too. So I nodded. "Play them for us."

Mark opened up his laptop and typed in some commands. Two long minutes later, he started to play a recording. Lee's voice darted through the entire room.

"_We broke up again. Kylie and I. God, I swear that girl doesn't know how to make up her mind. Sometimes, I want to jump her bones, other times I want to break her neck. You know what, Mark? I think she's the main source to all my problems."_

Adrian frowned at the tape. "He seems to be talking to you in this one."

Mark nodded tentatively, "He was. He'd left me this message a few months before…you know. And…And uh, the killer sent it to me last week again. This…This was the first one I managed to record onto my laptop. I don't know if he's trying to send a message but I suppose we can…figure it out. I'll, uh, play the second one."

He pressed the enter key on his laptop and the second one began to play.

_"I was reading a Stephen King book last night. There's a quote that stays with me.  
We lie best when we lie to ourselves. I…I think that's what I'm doing. Lying to myself."  
_  
Lee's voice in this recording was so full of pain it made my chest hurt and my throat swell up. Mark sighed, "He sent me messages like that all the time. But its creepy that I'm receiving them again from the killer. Maybe the killer used to track his phone activity. Anyway…There's one more."

He pressed play again.

_"I…I know what you did, Mark. I'll never forgive you for it. She won't either. I think your next in line."  
_  
And then the room went silent.

"Next in line for what?" Adrian asked. "What did you do?" I chimed in right after.  
Mark winced, "I tried to sleep with his girlfriend. Look…I think Lee meant something else when he said 'next in line'. Buh…But I think the killer indirectly sent me a death threat. And I…I mean—I don't know what to do." I shook my head and fixed him with a dubious scowl. "I still can't trust you. We need more proof than that."

"We got attacked, Hastings. Two nights ago, at Lee's house. Now, a little birdy told us that you were at Lee's house on that night. And this is just one of the many reasons you look guilty to us." Adrian's voice was so daunting that even I tensed up a little. At first, Mark just looked confused, then understanding flashed in his eyes.

"Oh, I told Foster at the bar that I was headed to Lee's house and I really was. I wanted to grab something from there but one look at it and I almost pissed my pants. It looked really…creepy, like, like it was haunted. So I…chickened out and went back home. I swear!" He sounded genuine, but I still had the feeling that he wasn't telling us the full truth.

That's when it hit me. I'd seen that ring from the picture Clarence had provided me before, and it had been on Mark's hands. A few pieces of the puzzle finally began to make sense. I walked right to him and held his right hand up in front of me. And surely, there it was. Lee's missing silver ring that probably cost an abundance.

"Where did you get that ring, Mark?"  
"Huh? Oh…This? Fa-family airloom."  
"Really? Because I can positively say I've seen it before."  
"Oh…I—I doubt that…"  
"You don't sound too sure, mate." Adrian supplied helpfully.

I circled Mark, aiming to come off as predatory and alarming.

"I think I know what happened. I think you never liked Lee anyway, at least not after he started dating the love of your life. You threatened him for it, you even tried to get with Kylie behind his back. You simply pretended to be his friend. You wanted to intimidate him. When he finally did die, you stole the ring from Mr. Donohue because you knew it was worth thousands, Lee must have mentioned it to you before. And that explains all your trips to his apartment. You're taking his things and trying to sell them. Do you think that money's going to buy you Kylie's love? You're not a killer, are you, Mark? Just a blithering idiot!"

"Kylie and I are made for each other! The stars aligned for us, that's the reason Lee died. He was a casualty at war, a sacrifice for nature. I think we should let nature run its course." Mark sounded like such a fool I wanted to smack him then and there.

"Wait a second…If you wanted Lee dead anyway, why were you looking into the case in the first place? I mean, you got what you wanted. Right?" I questioned; curious now.

"Call it a curious man's cause. I wanted to know who managed to pull it off. Also…I looked quite guilty, he and I weren't in the best position when he passed. So I looked into the case, played the part of the heartbroken best friend, and managed to haul in anything that could be used against me in the court of law. Thus the erasing of the tapes and all. I did it to protect myself. And you can't put me in jail because I didn't kill him anyway!"

Adrian looked just as repulsed as I felt. He was such a joke. If I reported his theft and told Mr. Donohue about the stolen ring; he might as well have been the killer because he would still go to jail for a crime associated to the homicide. Still, I didn't tell him that. Mark however, wasn't done yet. "But then the real killer started to send me all these haunting messages and items. And then you two came in questioning me and I thought I could use your help, but instead you guys started to blame me for the murder so I had to lead you off my trail. Sorry about the spiked drinks, by the way. I can see there were no lasting effects."

"_You_ were the one behind the spiked drinks?"  
"What if I was?"  
Anger burned through me, he had ruined our entire plan! He probably really was at the party, it all made sense. He'd paid the waiter to specifically spike those particular drinks. It wasn't for the entire party, it was meant for us! With vehemence I didn't know I had, I stomped right in front of him and grabbed his collar.

"Well, I want to congratulate you. Shake your hand. Congratulations! You've been named the world's biggest cockroach. This award is given in recognition in your unparalleled lack of decency and humanity. Bravo. You're going to die friendless and alone."

I grabbed his hand and pulled the ring off his scrawny fingers before tossing it to Adrian.  
"Hey, I just did what was—"  
"Shut up! If we want you to speak, we'll wave a Snausage in front of your nose. You use us again for your sick tricks and to convince yourself you're not a loser. I will ruin your life. Got it?" Adrian threatened, his voice was equally enraged.

"Is there anything else you'd like to share, or shall we call the police on you? We're the ones with the proof in our hands, so you might want to think before you talk."

Mark attempted to scoff, "It's cropped out."  
"I'm a wizard with the computer. I can encode that in the matter of minutes. Now, any last words?" That wasn't entirely true, I had been trying to encode that tape for hours, it would happen eventually but it was going to take time. Thankfully, Mark didn't know that. No harm, no foul.

Mark raised his hands up in surrender once again, his face even more sullen than usual. "Okay—Okay! Just…Just tell me when you find out who the killer is! I…Uh, I'll suggest you dig up some more details on the ex-girlfriend, ask about a Lilah. I…I can't remember a last name. That's most of what I found out, I couldn't get to any other clues thanks to all these haunting messages."

Mark began to back up after that, then he looked up at us again. "What—Whatever you do, be careful. Every…Every time you think you're one step ahead, he'll do something and snatch the rug right from under you. He's…He's got it all planned out, trust me. We don't play the game, the game plays us." After that, he rushed out of the hotel room so quickly we didn't even have a chance to let his words sink in. He'd left all his haunting 'clues', his tote bag, and his laptop with us in fear.

"Did he say Lilah? I thought the ex-girlfriend's name was Sheila." Adrian pointed out.

I shook my head. No matter what a fool Mark was, I had this horrible feeling that he was right. The killer had a lot of tricks up their sleeve and they wouldn't go down without a fight. They seemed to be enjoying this, as if it were a game…Whatever this was, it was time we strike back.


	20. 19: What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted

**A/N: I'll be honest about two things. 1. This chapter wasn't supposed to happen and 2. It's quite a dark chapter. I wasn't planning on writing this initially, but I've been writing Adrian's POV on the other Sydrian fanfiction that I am currently working on (to be posted here shortly, if anyone's interested ;)) and realized that I quite like trying to write him. He's such a wonderful character. Also, I recall there was a request or two that I do a chapter where we get a little peek at the inner workings of his mind, so here we have it. I can't say that you are going to get tons of Adrian POV material in this story, but I CAN tell you that this might not be the last of it. This chapter is basically in flashback format, we get to see what he was upto the night of the homicide and his feelings during and after the event. It's a little dark, because Adrian was in a dark place at this time, but I tried my best to capture his conflicted emotions. I like to think that I've kept him in character so far, so I really hope I didn't bodge it up for you all. No Sydney in this chapter, but I can tell you there's some interesting things to come.**

**Also, I'm not saying that this is an extremely essential chapter of the story; considering its small and mostly full of Adrian's thoughts and feelings, but there might just be a hidden hint in there somewhere. Who knows? ;)**

**Credits: This is written purely for fun, rights to all things Bloodlines related go to Richelle Mead. I have no affiliation with the author whatsoever.**

* * *

CHAPTER NINETEEN

What Becomes of The Broken Hearted

{Flashback: The Night of The Crime: Adrian's POV.}

I remember it hurt. Everything associated with Rose Hathaway hurt.

Thinking about her, looking at her, even reading her stupid e-mails. If this was God's poetic way of saying 'Fuck you!' then it was pretty damn cruel. I staggered my way up the lonely staircase of the gigantic mansion that I called home. _Ah, Prison sweet Prison. _This didn't feel like my place at all, no. This had my dad's handy work written all over it. From the gaudy white washed walls in the kitchen to the plush red canopies and royal curtains. My phone buzzed as I reached my solemn bedroom and flipped the switch, before quickly flipping it off again due to the burning sensation caused by the light hitting my eyes.

I half-wished it was her. Of course, it wasn't. I had to squint to read the words.

'Had a real nice time w/ you. Hope 2 see you soon. You have my number if you  
want to make some magic again. ;)'

I rolled my eyes and dropped the phone on my bed, then pulled off my jacket. It was just one of the girls I'd met at the bar tonight. Sabrina or Franchesca or Rachel or something. I really didn't care. The pain was getting worse, up to the point where I felt like I was choking on my own pathetic tears_. Yeah. Good going, Adrian. You've got a reputation to uphold. And yet here you are. How manly of you to be drunk off your ass and weeping about a girl who dumped you months ago.  
_  
_"It's not you, it's me. We're just…in two very different places in life right now. I've got so much going on. You know that. I'm really sorry, Adrian, I am. I…I hope that we can still be friends. I'll always care about you, I hope you know that."_

I'd responded with something like, _"Really? That's the best you can do?"_

It was a bullshit break-up line, and she knew it. Also, the reason that she broke up with me wasn't that we were on 'different paths' or whatever. The reason was tall, dark and Russian. The thought of the imported bastard made me want to punch something. It wasn't exactly his fault, per say, but he pissed me off nonetheless. I sighed as I sat down on my bed and stared at one of my many paintings of her hair.

Rose's hair was amazing. A rich, chocolaty brunette. God, she was gorgeous. I was aware that it was the liquor talking, but I just couldn't help myself. I picked up my phone again and dialled her number; unfortunately it went straight to voicemail. Her beautiful voice approached me.

"Hey, this is Rose. Looks like you missed me. Leave a message and I'll get right back to you. If this is Adrian, you're drunk dialing me again. Put the phone down. Now."

I smirked at the personalized message, I'd actually told her to do it as to keep me from doing what I was about to do. Sadly, it looked like I would never learn. "Rose. I know you must be with that pony-tailed asshole right about now. S-S…Say hi to him from me, by the way. I just, gosh, I miss you so much. You—"

Apparently, I was drunker than I'd realized, the phone fell from my trembling hands, and I didn't have the strength to bend down and pick it up. My world was spinning again, the high that I'd experienced a while ago diminished and began to transform into nausea.

I frowned at that. I drank so much now—it was a wonder I hadn't built up an immunity to it.

I had a record when it came to holding my liquor, I'd gone hangovers upon hangovers puke-free. I wondered if tonight was finally the night I broke that record. I let the phone rest in its newfound place on the floor, figuring it was for the best and kicked my feet up to rest on the bed. My head felt like it weighed a ton as usual, and my thoughts began to blow up the surviving portion of my mind.  
_  
Was every single bloody night going to be like this from now on? I'm crying myself to sleep like a girl on her period; stuck in this empty house? _Things had to change, I had to stop feeling sorry for myself, Rose had suggested that I wasn't mature enough for a relationship. That was crap. She was the one who wasn't mature enough. Mature people don't cheat.

Love was like this disease that had taken over my life and turned me inside and out. Sometimes, I wished I'd never met Rose. I would still be my old, carefree self. I didn't ever want to fall in love again. The bloody feeling itself was toxic. Love had destroyed my life once; and I wasn't going to let it happen again. Ever. Jailbait had suggested I stopped sitting on my ass and went out into the world. That was Jill-talk for 'Go get a real job already, you useless pig!"

I had a job, and that job was life. It was also playing lead guitar for my band, _Falling Upstairs._ Jailbait had already made it clear that she didn't appreciate our music. She called us pretentious, she was afraid I'd let the 'fame' get to my head. I called it art. It was the only thing that helped my get by, other than alcohol and girls, anyway. At least playing for a band was something I was passionate about.

I didn't want to end up one of those miserable married men working at Costco's who had, like, a mid-life crisis at the age of thirty and fought with their wives for sport. I knew a guy like that, my dad's best friend, Steve.

Steve worked a second mediocre job at some bank somewhere. He played a lot of mini-golf. He also had three kids and a wife who was planning to divorce him for a male model who lived in the Bahamas. She was also going to dump the custody of the little rodents on him. The poor guy had almost no hair left on his head and took anti-depressants just to keep going. I loathed the Steves of the world; afraid I'd become one. There was so much more to life; adventure, danger, piña coladas, dog-racing. Of course. It was all mindless dreaming for a guy who was depressed out of his mind because his girlfriend left him for another dude.

I sighed; unable to sleep, I stood up and pulled out my sketchbook. Drawing always helped, it was one thing that came to me spontaneously. Soon as my pencil hit the paper, it was like my hands were on auto-pilot. After what felt like only a couple minutes, but was a good, solid hour, sleep came fast. I perched my sketch-pad on the side of my bed and began to drift off. I thought I heard a girl's laugh and some soft music coming from downstairs, but I decided that it was my alcohol induced mind playing tricks on me and fell asleep.

I awoke to the sound of loud, earth-shattering screaming.

I fumbled out of my bed so fast; I slipped and fell on my ass in an attempt to make it out of the room. I groaned, rubbing my knee before bounding down the staircase to see what all the noise was about. I froze at the scene in front of me.

Martha, the housekeeper, stood a few steps away from me, shrieking. The room smelt foul; like a rat had died. Her fear-filled eyes met mine and her shaky arm pointed at the room that _Falling Upstairs_ used to practice our songs.

I took another step forward and I was sure that my heart had almost stopped beating.

The world and everything in it had just turned to ashes in my mouth.

*  
Most of it was a blur. I remember that there was blood. God, so much of it. Apparently, there was bucketloads of blood in the human body. It was gory, so gruesome. My heart was pounding inside my chest and a queasy feeling inside my stomach made its way up my windpipe. It felt like my heart was ready to shoot out of my body sans my mouth. I couldn't blame it, really. I remember that the polite housekeeper touched my shoulder and mumbled something in her native language. I wasn't sure where she was from. Was it Mexico? I reckon her accent sounded akin to some of the Spanish wrestling I used to watch. I think she was muttering a prayer.

I was frozen in place, like my entire world had stopped spinning. Martha's face was wrinkled; pale but kind. I wish I'd paid the poor lady a little more as I glanced at her when I'd finally managed to look away from the...body. Damn, I should be paying her extra. She didn't work for me so that she could see this. I remained in position, still as a statue. I didn't know that it was humanly possible to stand this still; so immobile. Maybe I'd break a world record of somekind. My breathing was shallow, and came out in short wisps of breath. I was trying to get out the words, but it was like my vocal chords were protesting; lashing out on me like it was my fault.

My. Fault.

Shit.

I'd known it. God damn it. I'd known it, somewhere at the back of my mind that someday I would cause collateral damage. Lee...Had he paid the price for my carelessness? I'd heard it. I'd heard...something. Last night. God. I don't even _like _classic tunes. The record player... My mouth went dry; every muscle in my body tensed up in alarm.

And then...

And then there were sirens. Loud, echoing throughout the neighborhood. I loathed the sound of them, so depressing and...loud. God. They were coming...They were coming to take the body. He was dead. Lee Donohue...was dead.

And it was my fault.

What if I hadn't been so drunk that I saw stars? Maybe I would have been sane enough to get downstairs and see what the commotion was about. The killer...The killer must have known that idiotic, blitzed Adrian would be too stupid to have realized that a murder was happening right inside of his house, under his nose. And what was I doing? Busy leaving lovesick voice messages at my girlfriend's voicemail and thinking about fucking _dog-racing_. Pathetic, so, so pathetic. And now there was one less person in the world. A person who despite of his personality was young and breathing and...fine. Until he got beaten up and...

"Sir?" I managed to look up at the plump female officer that was now standing in front of me in place of Martha. She had one hand on her hips and the other was holding police radio up to her lips, "We've got a possible murder. Please send back-up immediately. Code 5." She muttered, before turning back to look at me. Her face was stoic. How did they do it? I'd never understand. Remain so cool and calm in situations like these...looking at Lee's limp body, I winced, feeling like I was going to throw-up and break my record after all. He looked like a prop item from a horror film.

"Sir," she repeated, her tone neutral, "You have to come with me to the police station, answer a few questions, yeah?" I stared back into the officer's brown eyes. My mouth was still unable to form words. She sighed, and I tilted my head to look at what was happening behind her. There were two officers clad in the same blue uniform dragging Lee away in a body bag. Soon, there would be yellow tape and reporters everywhere, I winced at the thought. "I know that this must be a hard time for you, but considering that the body was found inside of your house, it does make you a suspect, sir. The victim must have been dead for at least about a few hours before he was discovered, the body was cold. So with all due respect..." Her voice trailed off before she gathered her sentence again, "Do you understand anything that I am saying?"

I nodded nonchalantly, because, what else could I do?

"I understand," _Wonderful. Two actual words. I must be making progress._

"Alright. Soon as you are ready. Sorry, for your loss." She mumbled quietly as she followed the officers carrying Lee out the door. I just stood there for another minute or so. Sorry for your loss. How lame was that? It was mandatory, of course, and I understood that but it was ridiculous, really. Did they think that their sorry meant anything? They were complete strangers.

Lee Donohue was dead. My mind didn't fail to remind me. I couldn't help but feel the guilt encompass me, I knew that I should have done something and I didn't. Now there was no going back, was there? The damage was done. There was a saying, no point crying over spilt milk. Stupid, really. What if it was you who had to clean up the mess? I was also aware, somewhere at the back of my mind that this murder had been in my house.

MY house.

That didn't exactly do wonders for my reputation. I was a person of interest, a suspect. There was a very strong possibility that the blame would be thrown at me. For a second, I almost contemplated over that. Maybe this was fate's way of punishing me. Maybe I did deserve going to jail. I was there, drooling away peacefully while someone was getting beaten bloody to a tragic death right under my own roof? It was preposterous. Disgusting. Shameful...

The drive to the police station was straight and fast. They asked me a lot of questions, just as promised. The officer in charge was trying his very best to go easy on me; and I was grateful. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. They were sending me back home, but would call me again tomorrow morning for further questioning. They said...They said it looked bad. Like real bad. They told me that if I didn't find an alibi soon, that they may even have to make me the number one contender for the homicide. I would be appointed a basic lawyer, there would be a hearing... Nathan Ivashkov was a rich, powerful man, maybe I could get him to provide me with a lawyer whose credentials went beyond _basic_, but there were things even he couldn't control.

I thought about it on the drive home. The nice police officer had insisted that someone drives me home, but I doubted it was out of chivalry. Probably had to keep an eye on me. There were a hundred possible outcomes. I could end up getting house-arrest, or six months jail time. Worst case they execute me for the kill of a well-reputed man's son. Best case I get the world's greatest lawyer and manage to squirm my way out of this debacle. Somehow, I kept ending up imagining myself in some horrible jail cell, living with a fat, scary inmate with a dozen tattoos and a fist like steel.

That was probably what I deserved anyway.

Home. I wasn't going to do it; go back to the scene of the crime. So once I'd thanked the officer, I took out my car and decided to simply...drive, for a little while. The hot, prickled tears started to fall sometime after that, I really wasn't sure when. My phone sat on the empty seat besides mine, buzzing away. I knew who was calling of course, my father. I wasn't going to pick up, not now. I stared straight ahead, aiming at absolutely nothing as I took an abrupt left towards the small lakeside clearing I'd discovered to gather my thoughts and blasted Supertramp on the radio.

Maybe if I took a breath and closed my eyes I'd find myself in hell.

* * *

**A/N: SO? WHAT DO YOU THINK? I'd really appreciate reviews on this one, considering it's a chapter that shouldn't even have happened... I know it isn't my best work, but I tried and I'd really like to know your thoughts about it because I'm still new to this genre. P.S A 100 reviews. You have no idea how much this means to me, I know it isn't a lot in fanfiction net terms, but it's still boatloads for me, considering I didn't even think it would get that much attention. So thank you! *VIRTUAL HUGS* :)**

**xxx**


	21. 20: Between A Keith And A Hard Place

**A/N: This chapter's if basically a light filler. There's some Sydrian fluff and comedy too, I think that this story needs a 'calm before the storm' chapter. There is a little tension between Sydney and Adrian, but I promise you it is there for a reason and has a purpose. Everything in a fictional story such as this always has a purpose. Remember that! Anyway, thank you for the positive response to that last chapter, and I really hope you like this one.**

**Do review. It's now or never (Zac Efron Voice.)**

**Credits: This is written purely for fun, rights to all things Bloodlines related go to Richelle Mead. I have no affiliation with the author whatsoever.**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY

Between a Keith and a Hard Place

"Let me guess. One of the protagonists die at the end of the movie."

"Shh, don't ruin it for yourself. I still can't believe you haven't seen _The Titanic_." I laughed, "I can't believe _you_ have. I've been with Julia long enough to know that it falls under the 'mushy' romance genre. I pinned you for more of a Russian car racing or Chinese action flick kinda guy." Adrian smirked at the sentence, like he was sharing an internal joke with himself. "I wouldn't mind me a good action flick, but I've been into all sorts of weird stuff ever since I met you." He admitted. "Is that a compliment or an insult?" Adrian thought about this, "Both."

I'd wanted to get right to the plan as soon as we'd scared Mark away, there was so much to do with the case, but Adrian had insisted we take a break from all that and cuddle up on the couch and watch a movie. He told me it was the kind of obligatory couple things that people did; I wouldn't know, since Brayden and I never did anything remotely similar. I'd gone to see a movie with Brayden once, but I wasn't sure a documentary based on Hitler's life could be considered romantic. Thinking of him made my heart pound a little; I still felt guilty over everything I'd done with Adrian. It wasn't fair to Brayden. I'd left him perhaps a dozen voicemails and messages to call me back, but he never did.

Julia had instructed me to break-up with him over the phone, I'd told her that it seemed like an unconventional means to drop such serious news over but Julia had fixed me with a steely glare and said, "Whatever it takes to unmoor you from the rock that is Bray-Bray."

We'd gone through all the creepy 'gifts' that the killer had been dropping by Mark's apartment, as well. I instantly decided that it could be used for Adrian's plea at court, despite the lack of fingerprints, so I kept each and every one. It was some sick stuff. There was the fingernail bracelet, a plastic toy knife and a music CD of the same songs that were on the record that Clarence had given us. I'd also done some research on all the Lilahs around the area and came up with nothing. We did know one Lilah, but I could hardly believe that it was her since she didn't seem that connected to Lee at all. There were no records of any Lilah in Lee's files either. Still, ruling her out at this point would be naive.

I knew that whoever this Lilah was would be connected with the ex-girlfriend in some way. Kylie had explained that the ex-girlfriend's name was Sheila, was she wrong or was Mark lying? By the look on Mark's face when he'd dashed off, I could hardly imagine he was the one telling lies. I was going to do more research but of course I was forced to take a break. I didn't exactly enjoy being interrupted from my work, but this was admittedly nice. I wasn't sure what my relationship status was currently, nor was I sure where I stood with Adrian, but it still felt good... strangely homely.

The characters were currently bickering about something and I tried to pull myself out of my thoughts to catch the words. We were holding hands. Adrian was dragging his fingers over the skin of my hand while watching and didn't even seem to have a motive. He wasn't trying to tickle me or be sexual with me. He was just feeling the shape of my bones under that skin like it was physically comforting for him to know that I was there right under his fingertips.

The butterflies in my stomach were of course, out and about once more. There was a warm, tingling sensation on every fingertip that graced his touch. I knew that I was supposed to be concentrating on the television in front of me, but all I could feel was him. Sitting here, right beside me. I enjoyed being so close to him; I liked watching him watch the movie, with his luscious green eyes inspecting everything in front of him. I noticed he absentmindedly ran a hand through his hair with his free hand whenever a character did something he didn't approve of. I tried to scoot in a little closer, so that I could hear his steady breathing.

The rest of the movie-watching couple experiment ended up being me relishing in this 'experience' and admiring the enigmatic presence that was Adrian Ivashkov.

A few minutes after the movie was over, we were having another swing at the obligatory couple 'to-do' list: cuddling. I lay my head against his chest, I could feel the pitter-patter of his heart and I almost fell asleep in the momentary bliss. "So have you and what's-his-name ever done it?" I frowned, confused. His words potentially killing the moment. "What?" I lifted my head up just a little to look at him. "Did you and your 'special' friend ever have sex?" He purposely spoke in a way one explained a foreign subject to a toddler.

I rolled my eyes, "Does it matter? Cuddling is the best part." I didn't even have to shoot Adrian a glance to know that he was smirking. "If cuddling was the best part, he wasn't doing it right." I hit him lightly on his chest, trying to kill the smile that tugged at my lips.

_Laughing at Dirty jokes now, are we? _A voice in my head warned._  
Oh, come on!  
Since when do you like dirty jokes? You never appreciated anything that had to do with sex!  
Objectification of women? Losing virginity equals bad? Remember?_

I tried to ignore the annoying voice in my head and focused on Adrian. "Adrian," I mumbled. "Hm?"  
"I've put this off for long enough but… What happens if we do manage to crack this case? Then what?"

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"It's just…Say we manage to solve the case and you don't go to jail. I'm still going to be in a lot of trouble with my father. I may even have to give up on ever trying to become a successful lawyer. Embracing with a client to this extent it's…"

"Wrong? Disgraceful? Condemning behaviour? The Court of Law dismisses it!" He spoke the last part of the sentence in a funny voice; in a sore attempt of imitating a harsh lawyer. I thought my Father sounded exactly like that, but worse.

"Well, yes." Adrian nodded, "How dare you, Miss Sage! That boy is trouble! Don't you know?"  
"Enough, Adrian." He smiled and pulled me closer to him, if that was even humanly possible. He gave me a light peck on the cheek and ruffled my hair a little. "Listen to me. Do you remember what I told you that night by the lake?" I nodded. I remembered every single detail from that wonderful night like it had happened merely a few seconds ago. "Stop worrying about everything all the time, Sage. I know that we've got the Star-crossed Lovers complex to deal with but we've actually got bigger problems to worry about. If what you're saying does happen and we manage to outsmart a psycho killer? Then I'm pretty sure we can tackle anything."

His words were comforting, but they didn't wash away all of my doubts. I still felt like I was doing something very wrong. "Do you even want to be a Lawyer? Don't you have other aspirations?" I looked up at him again, my eyes wide with fear. "Adrian. If I'm not a Lawyer, if I'm not the person I was when I walked into your apartment that day. Then…What do I do? What do I have to offer? Why would you like me?"

Adrian looked floored by my words; he suddenly sat up straight and cupped my face in his hands. "Look at me. Hey, look at me," I did. "I still meant every word I said to you. God, Sage you are one of the smartest most beautiful girls I've ever known, and we both know I know a _lot_ of girls. You'll find your way. And if you don't, I'm always there for you. No matter what."

He was right, self-pity would lead me nowhere. Self-doubt was only worse. I tried to lighten up the mood, "I never had sex with Brayden. My father thought it was something I had to-keep to myself or I'd become…" My voice trailed off. "What? Slutty?" I nodded.

Adrian laughed, "How dare you exude confidence and enjoy sex!" He muttered in a funny voice again. "Don't let him rule your life, Sage." I smiled. I just wanted to forget all my problems and stay here with him all day. I was sure he had quite the list full of 'obligatory couple things' to do and I was up for each and every one. Before I could say anything else, the hotel bell rang. Someone was at my door.

After the last person who had shown up at my door, I was a little apprehensive to open it. "Do you want me to get it?" Adrian asked. I shook my head, the only person who could come up here without having to ask the receptionist to alert me could be someone who visited me a lot. I walked over and opened the door, and my fears were confirmed. "Jill."

"Oh, great. You're here. So we might have a problem." She stomped in, oblivious to the fact that Adrian was here with me. I wanted to stop her, but I was a little too late. I shut the door and drearily walked towards Jill, who had stopped dead in her tracks.

I flinched as the two made contact. Adrian had shot off the couch at the speed of light. "Jailbait? What are you doing here?" He was talking to her, but his eyes were on me.

Jill gulped, "I—I, uh. I didn't think you'd be here..."  
"Yeah? That makes two of us."  
His expression was undistinguishable, but it didn't take a genius to know he was upset.  
"Adrian, okay—Listen to me. It isn't Sydney's fault—"  
"No?" Adrian's voice was emotionless. "Of course it wasn't."

"Adrian...I can explain," I started, but I knew that my argument was going to be futile. I'd seen Adrian when he was angry before, but right now, he just seemed unnerved. I wasn't sure what to expect. All I knew was that I had this ominous feeling rising up my chest and this sense of absolute dread creeping over my spine.

"There's nothing to explain."  
"Adrian," Jill and I spoke almost in unison. "She was _never_ supposed to be involved in this, Sydney! Do you have any idea...? God, what were you thinking!?"

The second part of his sentence seemed to be addressed to the both of us. Jill looked flustered, her pouty pink lips curving into a deep frown. I hadn't realized before, but Jill looking slightly different...worn out. She had a scar above her eyebrow that I was almost positive she hadn't possessed the last time that we'd met, and the dark circles under her eyes seemed ever prominent; especially because of her pale complexion. She looked sullen, almost vampire-like. Like she hadn't slept for days. I think Adrian was beginning to notice too.

This was a far cry from the girl I'd met the first time I saw her. Back then, she looked like this runway model, but right now, she looked sickly and pale. Even her outfit, she was clad in sweatpants and a hoodie, I wasn't used to Jill being dressed this way, especially considering the blistering heat that was probably approximately the temperature of Hell Fire in Palm Springs.

Suddenly, Adrian's features grew dark and disturbed. "Are you okay? What happened to you, Jailbait?" Again, there was no trace of the anger that had engulfed him only a couple seconds ago. Now, his voice was full of concern, it would have been touching; hot, even. Under different circumstances. Jill frowned, like she didn't understand what he was saying at first. I spoke up, despite myself. If there was one thing that Adrian and I currently had in common, it was our concern for Jill.

"Jill, you look different." I observed. She wouldn't meet either of our eyes, she just kept staring down at the ground, she tucked a strand of curly hair behind her ear and took a seat on the couch. "It's...nothing. Adrian, I'm sorry you had to find out like this, okay? I didn't wanna upset you, I swear! I just felt so helpless, and I don't like the way that your dad treats you. I had to do _something_. I had to see if you were gonna be okay. So...So I came over to talk to Sydney about your case, maybe help convince her that you were innocent? And...She agreed so I asked her to keep me updated. That's all, I promise!"

I was glad that her rambling nature wasn't affected by her new 'look'. Despite this; I wasn't able to shake the feeling that something was wrong. The look of concern mixed with agitation and betrayal was deepening on Adrian's handsome face. I'd always known that their sibling bond was tight, but this was something else entirely. I had this feeling that there was some internal conflict going on here that  
I was left in the dark about. There was some seriously thick tension in the room.

Despite the burning temperatures outside, the room felt cold.

_What are they not telling me_? Their bond really is stronger than I'd ever imagined it to be. Adrian took a deep breath, "Can we take this party somewhere else? I need a smoke." I wanted to stop him, tell him that this was not the way to deal with everything but really... Where was my place in all of this? Yes, I shared a few...kisses with Adrian. That didn't give me the right to have any sort of command over him. Not yet. Jill nodded indignantly and offered that they go talk downstairs, he nodded. I was about to follow them down, but Adrian stopped me. The look of despair in his eyes was beginning to hurt me.

"Sage...I uh, think it's best if you stay here. Gotta talk to the little _brat_ alone."

Yes. It hurt. He seemed so disconnected, like all the feelings he'd talked about only a few minutes ago suddenly meant nothing to him.

_Oh gosh. What if it really did mean nothing to him? What if I was just another... No, don't go there, Sydney.  
_  
So once Adrian and Jill were out of my hotel room, I did something I really shouldn't have done. It was wrong, I knew it was wrong. I didn't know what this case was doing to me, but it was surely affecting my brain somehow...driving me crazy. The curiosity or insanity...Or whatever it was...got the best of me and I bounded down the stairs to catch up with the two.

Once I approached the Hotel lobby, I saw the two of them headed to the Parking Lot. I followed, but I kept my distance. Sneaking around was something I was actually glad my father had taught me to excel at. Finally, once they were out in the parking lot, I trailed them until they came to a stop near Latte. Adrian leaned over my car's hood, pulled out his cigarette, and lit up.

_Oh no he did NOT just do that!  
_  
Now this was definitely Adrian declaring war, he was smoking right next to my baby! I'd told him repeatedly not to smoke in or anywhere within the radius of my car. And now here he was, inhaling and huffing out that filthy drug all over my Latte. I wanted to jump out at him and hit him with my shoe. I wanted to use a string of cuss words that I didn't think I even knew how to pronounce.

So, of course, I stayed where I was.

I was crouched down behind a bush (Very original, I know.) within hearing range of the two of them. I watched them closely, squinting due to the sun's blinding rays. Jill stood a few steps away from him, her arms to her sides, she looked sad. "What is it, Adrian?" At first, Adrian said nothing. He took a languid drag of his precious cancer stick and blew smoke across. "What do you think it is, Jill?" Some residual smoke came out of his nostrils as he finished his sentence. It was a rhetorical question, but Jill seemed too nervous to get that.

"Are you mad?"  
"No, I'm not. I got you down here so that we could bake cookies and talk about boys." He deadpanned, taking another drag, and this time, blowing tiny smoke rings, his mouth working like a fish in water.

Jill took another step away from him; I didn't appreciate him practically enforcing Jill to passive smoke. "_Of course_ I'm mad! I'd scream bloody murder if I was a homicidal maniac but you're lucky I'm not! Unlike some of us here, who apparently _do_ have some tendencies..."

Jill looked away, "I'm sorry. I told you why I did it. I'm not ready to lose you, Adrian. I can't lose you. If you go to jail...God, if you go there...I'll get nightmares about it. I don't wanna experience something like that. More importantly, I don't want _you_ to. You don't deserve going to jail for something you didn't do!" I still didn't understand where she was going with this. What did she mean about the nightmares? Was she being figurative? It didn't sound like it.

"Been there, know that. I'm aware of all this, that's why we hired the freaking attorney, Jill! It was not your place to butt in, you know that. I told you that I'll figure this all out. You have no idea what crap I've been through these past few days..." The words died on his lips and he suddenly looked sheepish.

_Freaking Attorney? Ouch._

I thought Adrian and I were past that. And crap? I had thought we'd certainly gone through more than just 'crap' throughout our time together. Were my emotions clouding my judgement?

_Ugh, Sydney! Get yourself together._

It was Jill's turn to be furious. "I have exactly the idea of what you've been through, alright? I got the same dream you did the night that you got attacked and almost shot but still didn't tell me about it! I'm worried, Adrian. What was I supposed to do? Stand by and watch while your life's unravelling? I thought you of all people understood me! But you have no idea who I am!"

_Dreams?_ My eyes widened, no, it couldn't be. If my instinct was on the spot, then what Jill was referring to was dream sharing. It usually occurred in twins, but it was not unlikely for it to occur between close friends and/or relatives either. This usually occurs when a couple of people go through a traumatic or bonding experience with one another.

The ability was fascinating, but science had no theories supporting it or identifying its origin. Still, it had been proven humanly possible. Shared dreaming was usually something that was involuntary and spontaneous. Recent study however, had shown that it wasn't improbable for it to be initiated by the individuals concerned. I'd done a paper on it once and I still recalled a few facts from it.

This surely couldn't be what was between Jill and Adrian, right? Unfortunately, it was the only thing that made sense. Adrian finished his cigarette and flicked it to the ground, stamping on it with the toe of his shoe. He pressed a finger to his temple.

"I'm sorry, Jailbait. Don't know where all this anger's coming from. I...I know  
your intentions were pure, they always are."

"Exactly! I just had to get involved! Do you believe me now?"

Adrian sighed, "Of course I believe you, Jailbait. I believe cartoon birds braided your hair this morning. Look, I worry about you too. And there are some limits I'm not going to tolerate you crossing. You know what we went through, Jesus Christ, Jill! If anything happens to you because of me..." He let his words die out, but Jill seemed to get the message.

"So now, are you going to tell me why the hell you look like _that_?" He asked. Jill smiled, but it was uneasy and not necessarily a happy smile. On the contrary, she did seem relieved that Adrian was going to let it go. "It's...nothing." Adrian fixed her with a death stare that would've made my father proud.

"Okay, I'll tell you everything. It's what I came to talk to Sydney about. We should go up to her, she must be so confused."

At the mention of my name, Adrian stiffened up.

"I was going to ask you about it, but I figured it would make you uncomfortable. But since we already passed the point of that a long while back... Do you like her, Adrian? It's okay if you do."

He said nothing; he clenched his teeth and then unclenched. Finally, an easy smile crossed over his face, the tension dissipating. "You're too insightful for your own good, you know that?" She giggled; it was the first, genuine smile I'd seen from her in days. Despite their troubles, or their strange bond or whatever, they seemed to get along pretty well. They even made each other happy. He hit her on the back of her head lightly and started to walk back towards the hotel. "Come on; let's go make amends with Sage."

_Why didn't he answer Jill's question? Did he not like me anymore? His emotions did seem very scattered and brusque. And great, now Jill is aware about our...whatever it was, and that could lead to no good. What if Keith talked to Jill again? What if Jill told Keith about us? Oh no...They're headed up to my room!  
_  
I pushed the dozen swirling thoughts to the wasteland of my mind and went running back inside the lobby. Adrian and Jill were waiting for the elevator. I was on the fifth floor, which meant if I took the stairs and ran fast enough, I could beat them to it.

_Coach Hendricks, the gym coach my father had once appointed for me, would be proud..._

I sprinted past them and stumbled my way up the stairs as quickly as my scrawny legs would take me. I was huffing and puffing like a woman in labour by the time I reached the room, I turned to the elevator behind me.

They were on the fourth floor. _Whew._

With trembling hands, I fumbled with the keys and finally managed to open the door. The elevator made a subtle 'ding' sound and I jumped back on the couch, pretended to be reading the newspaper.

I was just on time.  
_3...2...1..._

Adrian and Jill were at my doorstep. Adrian gave me a rueful smile, but it faded away as he caught a good look at me.

My breath was still laboured. "You okay, Sage? You look like your having an asthma attack." Jill nodded, befuddled. "Why are you sweating?"

"Water," I mumbled. Adrian's eyes narrowed, "What?" I groaned. "It's...Its water! Yeah. I had to... wash my face!" I hoped they were buying this. "Oh," Jill seemed dubious. "You're panting, though."

"Yeah! I...I am. Uh, I had to run. Run to the bathroom to wash... my face!"  
"Why?"  
"A bee! It...It was a bee. B-Big bee. I thought it—stung me."

I needed a lesson in the art of excuse making. A copy of _Excuses for Dummies_, maybe?

I made a mental note of finding out if this was an actual book.

They still looked doubtful, but they gave it up and shrugged. Thankfully they weren't able to connect the dots. I groaned under my breath. My brain was at an all time low. _A bee? Was that really the best I could do? _Now I was disappointed in me. "So...What did you guys talk about?"

Adrian and Jill shot each other dismal looks, and some kind of telepathic understanding seemed to have been made. "Listen, Sydney. We sorted it out, and we're sorry—Adrian's sorry too, for being mean. I think I should get to the part about why I'm here. We still do have a slight problem..."

Adrian took a seat next to me on the couch, and I, to purposely prove to him that I was infuriated at him, shifted slightly away. He gave me a strange look but turned back to focus on Jill, who was now pacing in front of us, back and forth, mumbling something to herself.

"Jailbait, anytime this century," If this was Adrian's style of a pep talk, it was hardly a shocker. Jill was still walking around aimlessly, but she began to talk.

"First, you guys have to promise not to get mad at me. Deal?" I nodded but Adrian was doubtful, "Now that depends on the circumstances." Jill flashed him her best puppy dog look, but it didn't seem to work on him. She groaned in defeat.

"I know I'm an irresponsible, immature, stupid little girl. But it was all out of good faith, okay?"  
"Get on with it, Jill." I cajoled. She sighed, "Alright, alright! So you know how you told me not to associate myself with Keith?" I had to control myself from bawling my fists.

I flashed her a tight smile, "Yes."

"Well, I didn't listen. Now hold on—Before you get all preachy and upset, I did it so that I could help you. According to you, Keith had some kinda motive for being so nice to me. So I thought if I continued to pick up his phone calls I could pretend like I was on his side and find out what he's up to. Then I could warn you in advance—like I'm gonna do pretty soon." Adrian was glaring at her, his intense green eyes full of amusement. "This is insane." He turned to face me, "You introduced her to that Pirate Scumbag? What else you do, Sydney? Rent her porn? Make her a fake ID? Teach her driving? Underage drinking?"

This time, I glared back at him with equal intensity and anger. "Oh, please! You know I'd never do any of that! I cannot believe you have the audacity to think I'm capable of something like that after everything. God, Keith was the one that led her to me. Not the other way around!"

"Enough! No bickering between the two of you!"

"Oh, your turn will come, trust me." Adrian warned.

"Guys! Please! You made a deal!"

"I made no such deal." Adrian pointed out.

"Ugh!" She stomped her foot really hard on the ground.

"What on earth do I have to do to get you two to take me seriously for once? Adrian, it isn't Sydney's fault. Sydney, he's testy right now, ignore him. AND LISTEN TO ME!" I was afraid that if she got any louder the hotel would call us up and complain. So I grudgingly agreed, trying very hard not to look at Adrian. I couldn't believe that he was talking to me this way. I felt hurt, and used.

I should have known, he was Adrian Ivashkov for god's sake. I should have known better than to get involved. I half-wished I'd never taken up this stupid case in the first place! My emotions were still awry, I was assuming his were too, but we both shut up and let the girl talk. She sighed, "Thank you."

"So I got two more phone calls from Keith. One this morning, and uh... He revealed his true colours. Guys, I think Keith suspects that there's something going on between you two. He says you ignore most of his calls, Sydney, and that you won't let him assist you. He told me you keep telling him that things are under control and you've got it? I have this bad feeling he's done some research on you, Adrian. He seems to know some things about your...past."

"Wait," I chose my words carefully, "He told you all of this?"  
"Well, yeah. He sugar-coated it, obviously—He wants me to believe that he's worried about you. He told me he wants to help keep you 'safe' from the authorities and your father. I think he believes I know more than I actually do, because he kept asking me if there was something cooking between you guys. Of course, I denied that repeatedly but..."

"But what?" I arched an eye-brow. Adrian was totally still, lost in thought, but I could tell he was mad because he kept running his right hand through his hair; it was one of his nervous habits.

"He still doesn't buy it. He's dead set on finding out the truth, I guess you were right; he wants to out you really bad. He'll do anything to get to the bottom of this. He really wants you off this case, it seems."

After that, she crossed her fingers and looked at me with an expression that  
was almost apprehensive. "Sydney, do you have a boyfriend?"

I frowned, my heart suddenly beating ten times faster. I groaned, I knew I never should have gotten involved with Adrian! The repercussions of our stupid fling were hitting me like swipes in the gut—and fast. My throat dried up as I hung my head low and covered my face with my palms. "Yeah," Adrian answered for me, "She does."

I took a deep breath and looked back up at her, pulling my hands off my face, exasperated. "Please do not tell me what I think you are going to tell me." Jill nodded, her face grim and her mouth a straight line. "Keith called him and convinced him to come see you in Palm Springs. He could be on his way right now—I don't really know."

"This is not happening!" I exclaimed, I stood up and walked over to the desk near me, pouring myself a glass of water and downing the whole thing within seconds. "I am such an idiot." Surprisingly enough, Adrian didn't add salt to my very raw wounds like I almost expected him to, at this point. He groaned, "That pig is really going to have it when I get my hands on him. Uh—Keith Darnell, not her boyfriend."

"So did the two of you actually...?"

"No!" "Yeah..." Adrian and I said in unison.

Jill tilted her head to the side, "What?"

"It's not what you think; we didn't get that serious we just... kissed a little. And we know it's wrong, we've been over that. We know it could cost Sydney the case, which is why we have to keep your boy from coming here."

I shook my head, "It was a mistake! I can't believe I ignored all the warnings! I'm so stupid! Now everything's ruined..." Adrian actually looked a little rattled by my words, but he covered it up.

"Not your fault, Sage. We can still handle this. We've just gotta do some damage control."

I took a few other deep breaths and did my routine backwards counting from 10 to 1. It helped reduce my stress and despair, but the feelings remained. "I will... I'll call Brayden."

I called him four times after that; I also left him three new voice messages and texts. I even went as far as to post on his Facebook wall but nothing.

"He'll... He'll call you back. See? Isn't this good? I'm info girl! I helped you guys out. Didn't I?" Adrian was still mad at Jill; I was, too but right now, I couldn't stay upset at her. I turned back to her, "So what about the scar on your face? Why do you look so tired?" At this, her face darkened a little. This was an answer even Adrian was fishing for, so she knew she was trapped. She scowled and then crossed her arms over her chest. "I've just been a little exhausted, that's all. Got into a fight with a girl from school. It's not that big of a deal and—and I had a valid reason!"

Adrian looked lost in thought again, like he understood what this meant. "Have you watched the film Mean Girls, lately? Because I think that today's idea of Pop Culture is hurting adolescent psychologies everywhere." I pointed out.

Jill shot me an incredulous look, and then smiled softly. "I'm pretty sure that's not it." I finally got it; of course Jill was having a hard time! This occurred in people with such 'bonds' all the time. Adrian was depressed and stuck between a rock and a hard place; which meant so was Jill. She must have been feeling the effects of his mental state in her dreams. This must be affecting her physical state, too.

The look of guilt on Adrian's face confirmed as much; although he didn't say it out loud. Jill caught this too, "It's nobody's fault, really. You know how it is; being a teenager is hard stuff! Anyway, I should really go now... Mom's gonna worry but I'll see you guys later? Let... Let me know what happens with Keith and everything. And Adrian, you can't deny me the privilege anymore; I'm already in on this. I'm willing to help with anything you need!" I didn't like involving Jill more than required, but having a third pair of eyes wouldn't be so terrible. "Are you good at research?" She brightened up instantly and nodded.

After a few more minutes of convincing Adrian and trying to reduce the layer of tension in the room, Adrian was going to go drop Jill back home since he didn't feel it was right letting her take the bus. I knew that it had nothing to do with that, he just wanted to avoid me.

Before they left, Jill stopped at the doorway and turned around while Adrian was still putting on his shoes. "And guys? It's absolutely okay that you like each other. I can smell the sexual tension from a mile away you know—I'm a teenage girl, what do you expect? But if there is one thing I know, it's that there's nothing wrong to love or care for someone. You both look cute together, and you need each other for this case. Plus, I think you can keep Adrian in control. I've been trying to do that ever since I met him." She winked at me. Adrian didn't respond to this, and nor did I. He walked right past me and out the door. As he headed to the elevator, she turned back to me, "He'll come around," I wasn't sure what to say, so I simply nodded. She eyed me one last time before walking away,

"Two people who like each other that much should be together." 

* * *

**A/N: So? Tell me what you think is going to happen next! Remember, a review a day keeps the updates coming quick as can be! ;)**

**xxx**


	22. 21: I Don't Love You, But I Always Will

**A/N: Apologies for the slight delay. I was actually planning on posting this chapter earlier but apparently real life is a thing that happens so I didn't get the time. This chapter is mostly a mixture of exposition and fluff, there is angst coming, but not quite yet. If you object to fun and fluff, maybe this chapter isn't for you. ;)**

**Credits: This is written purely for fun, rights to all things Bloodlines related go to Richelle Mead. I have no affiliation with the author whatsoever.**

**P.S I've been in the process of trying to figure out how long this story is going to be. It shouldn't exceed thirty chapters, but I can't be sure. I'll let you guys know as soon as I do !**

**P.P.S: Underlined text in Sydney and Adrian's list is text that has been 'crossed out'.**

**Enjoy. And please, don't hesitate to review, review, review. **

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

I Don't Love You, But I Always Will

* * *

Sydney (And Adrian's) List of Clues:

-Murder, occurred around 7.03 pm in the evening.  
-Victim was Lee Donohue  
-Face and body severely beaten into pulp, murder weapon could range from  
an axe to a baseball bat  
-Killer is male(?)  
-Left no fingerprints, foot prints of a big shoe size ostensibly worn by men  
-Found 2 tape recordings 1. Victim &amp; cockroach  Mark Hastings (voice cropped) 2. In the process of being encoded.  
-Lee's silver ring symbolizes his relationship with Lilah(?)Sheila(?)  
-Found a pocketknife and a record of Dean Martin's greatest hits at crime scene

-Suspects  
\- Mark Hastings  
\- Kylie Burke   
\- Martha the Housekeeper?  
\- Jared Levinson  
\- Voldemort Stop it, Adrian!  
\- Tyson Wells  
\- Clarence Donohue  
\- Sheila/Lilah a.k.a the other ex-girlfriend?  
\- Jackass Nathan Ivashkov  
\- Tara Hix

-Red herrings:  
\- The record player  
\- The 'fingernail' bracelet  
\- The voice recordings  
\- The footprints

-What to do now?  
\- Sydney is bitchier when hard at work  
\- Find out all we can about this Lilah slash Sheila (1 person or 2?)  
\- Talk to remaining suspects  
\- Need proof to prove Adrian is innocent  
\- Figure out killer's alibi, motive, opportunity  
\- Recite heartfelt poems to Sage

\- Adrian's (useless!) additional List  
\- Days left before trial: 11  
\- Killers caught: 0  
\- Kisses from Sage: 18 I will ruin you, Adrian.  
\- Suspects guilty: 0  
\- Time Wasted: A LOT!  
\- Number of ways I've thought of to kill apologize to Sage: 4683,5

The next few days flew by in a blur.

It was a constant rut of researching, eating, sleeping and avoiding Adrian as much as conveniently possible. It was ironic how little information we had actually procured when compared to the amount of research we were doing. So far we had no leads on any Lilahs. Well, there were a total of fourteen women with that name in Palm Springs itself. I'd gained some sources on exactly what Lee had done and with whom he had spent time with the day he'd been killed but that was about it.

Everything was going fairly steady; so I was shocked when Adrian showed up with  
a huge piece of information.

"What is it?" I'd asked him, and he'd responded with something like, "Guess what, snark snark, I found something intriguing...more snark, a taunt, snark." None of all the preceding stuff mattered when he broke the news, "Jailbait and I weren't getting anywhere with the Lilahs you provided us with, so we did a little snooping on yours truly and guess what? Lilah Lehane, the girl we thought we met at Shaggy's Seafood Shack that day, was pronounced dead like three years ago."

It turned out; the girl who'd led us to our alcoholic doom was going by a fake name. It only took me another fifteen minutes to figure out who she was. Her real name was Sheila Donovan and she was the girl Lee had been cheating on Kylie with. I wasn't even all that surprised, just upset that I hadn't figured it out sooner.

I should have checked up a little on her background, but she'd seemed perfectly normal when we'd first met her; of course, that just made her more likely a candidate for the crime.

xxxxx

"You think I should dangle Keith out the window by his ankles?" Adrian deadpanned, holding up a French fry upside down and glaring at it, before dropping it back on the plate of uneaten food on the table. "How about you numb your fury with grease and fat until I can find another way to solve the problem?" I suggested. Adrian frowned, making a tiny smiley face with the remaining potato crisps. "Oh, reason, huh? Not sure I like it."

After at least four days of constant angry stares, awkward conversations and lots of annoying melodramatic monologues from Adrian; we'd learnt to be civil with each other. We were at some small resto-bar south of town that was close to a theatre where we would find Jared Levinson and his girlfriend, Tara Hix. The two of them had been with Lee practically all day before his untimely demise. Even though I believed that our number one contender for the homicide was Sheila Donovan, we had to get our facts straight before we made any absurd moves.

Jared and his girlfriend were acting at the theater part time; Adrian didn't want to watch the play; which was a modern-day adaptation of Grease, so instead, we were stuck in each other's company for another ten minutes till the show was over and the actors were allowed visitors. Jared was a friend of Adrian's and also the lead singer for his band, which meant he didn't buy that Jared or his girlfriend were at guilt.

"So Miss Sage, update us. How are we feeling on the forgiving Adrian front today?" He held a French fry up to my mouth like it was a microphone before I crinkled my nose in disgust and swatted his hand away.

"Got it. Relentless with a chance of bitchy."

"What is it with you? I'm your _freaking attorney_, right? I'm doing my job." Adrian froze, and then broke into a gleeful smile, "I knew it!" I bit my lip so hard I almost peeled some skin off.

"I _knew_ you were listening in on our conversation!" Knowing that I was a terrible liar, I didn't even attempt to keep up the act. "How did you know? It was my stupid bee speech, wasn't it?" I groaned.

Adrian laughed, "Not actually, no. I can spot that molten gold hair anywhere." I blushed despite myself, the butterflies returning after their little retreat to hibernation. I sighed, even his words affected me. I was weak.

"You're a pig, Adrian."  
"Don't patronize me, Sage."  
"God!"

Adrian sighed; I could already feel those deep green eyes trying to meet mine. I looked away, but he was nothing if not persistent. "Are you mad because I said that about you? I didn't mean it in that way, and you should know that by now."

"I don't have to explain myself to you."

I was honestly trying very hard not to think about it. Adrian hadn't wanted to tell me about his connection with Jill, he'd pushed me away when I was only trying to help; plus, it was better this way. I had Keith, Brayden and my job to worry about. Adrian shouldn't matter.

Plus, he was unstable, unreliable, unpredictable, uncontrollable and undermining.  
Too many 'un's.

_But he does matter. _A voice inside my head confirmed. _He matters more than anything else.  
_  
"Then explain yourself to the walls, because I'm sure even they don't know what you're so upset about. Look, Sage, I lose my cool sometimes, but it's really occasional and I'm getting better. It's a work in progress, but that's how relationships work and—"

"_Relationships_? We are NOT in a relationship!" I was so loud it was surprising nobody kicked us out of the restaurant.

"Again with the denial!"  
"YOU are in denial!"  
"If I was in denial, I'd be thinking about my champagne wishes and caviar dreams."  
"You think you're so funny, don't you?"  
"No. I _know_ I'm funny."

"That's exactly it! You can't just make every problem in the world disappear by cracking a stupid joke, Adrian! That's not the way it works." Adrian raised an eye-brow, "How does it work, Sage? Please, nurture this curious mind." I couldn't take it anymore; the arguing, the sexual tension, and the way he made me feel.

I stood up and stomped out of the bar, not even bothering to pay for my untouched food. I sat down on a bench outside and wiped away a few haphazard tears. I wasn't one to cry a lot, but I was losing it. This was not how I had pictured my first case to have ended up. Brayden wasn't here yet, I took that as a blessing; but he still hadn't returned any of my calls and there was still a chance he'd show up.

Also there was Keith, at first I hadn't been so worried because I was confident that I wouldn't mess up with this case; whoever I was turning into... I was terrified. I was a hundred percent sure that I wasn't the same person after meeting Adrian Ivashkov. Keith now had something solid against me; for now, he was only dubious and that's why he was pushing my boyfriend and Jill around to figure out what was going on. But the second that he did pick up something, and found out about my..._involvement_ with the client; I was going down. I could kiss my future and life as I know it, goodbye.

Unless I opted for offense instead of defence and took Keith down instead of me.

Unfortunately, I didn't have plenty of devious plans, that was more Adrian's cup of tea. Not to mention that we were still hitting dead-end after dead-end on our case. Sure, we had an idea about who the killer was, but what if I was wrong again? It wouldn't be the first time.

What if all of this was pointless and just a huge goosechase? I sighed, burying my head in my hands and trying to think clearly.

But I couldn't think clearly, not around him. Now I had all these dreams and unrealistic ideals for my life. It was his fault! It was all his fault! Suddenly, there was a warm hand on my shoulder and I gasped. I pushed my hair away from my face and looked up to see the menace himself. Adrian's face was solicitous.

"I'm sorry," His voice was soft, barely a whisper. "If I hurt you...I'm sorry." I thought I heard a crack in his voice, it was almost desperate. I just looked up at him, and he looked back down at me, none of us spoke. We just stood there, our eyes locked in a brief wordless gaze. It was clear to me then; and I understood it.

He looked to his cigarettes when he needed solace and momentarily bliss. That's what he'd told me all those days ago. But now, things were different. He didn't look to his cigarettes anymore. He found the high in me; with me. The bliss, the escape, the solace... He felt all of that when we were together.

He looked to _me.  
_  
The feeling, I soon realized, was mutual.

xxxxx

"Yeah, we were with him. The guy was nuts, he was tryin' to bribe his way into gettin' a spot in the band. Wonder why it was so important to him." Jared muttered, "Whoa! Watch the wig, man!" He lurched away from the poor make-up boy who was trying to blush his cheeks. Adrian and I had wrapped up our little 'moment' up after which we headed backstage to meet Jared and Tara and quiz them about the events of the day when the murder had occurred.

"If you weren't going to let him in anyway, why did you stay with him all day?" I asked, staring up at the guy who was almost twice as tall as I was. Jared Levinson was almost six feet four and looked awfully ridiculous in his flamingo pink shirt and dark jacket; the mop of fake curly black hair adding to the effect. He had blue eyes and a long nose, too.

"The weasel promised us free food and a nice gig. Not that he got the chance. Poor bastard." A girl sporting a short frizzy yellow wig approached us. She was wearing regular clothes but still had the silly wig from the play on, it made her look a little strange. She was almost four inches shorter than  
her boyfriend. Tara Hix grinned at us.

"So what did you think of the play?" Adrian walked towards me and smirked at her, "Don't know, we didn't watch it." I sighed, hoping he'd tone down the cockiness just a little bit for the questioning. "Of course you didn't; you've got the attention span of a poodle." Tara muttered. "You look like a poodle," Adrian muttered, pointing at her wig.

Tara laughed and pulled it off. Jared, her boyfriend, leaned against the counter behind him once the make-up boy was done and frowned at us. "So, what you been up to, Jet? People are startin' to talk—wonderin', about you. You ain't gonna bail on the band, are you?"

Adrian's voice was smooth, but I caught the steel beneath it. "Been a little preoccupied, Levinson, you know... Murder Trial and everything."

"Hey, look at the bright side. If you go to jail they might make a movie based on your life." Tara murmured, a little too casually.

"Yeah, man. You could have—Like, Zac Efron or someone play you." Jared suggested.

I wanted to laugh, but one look at the strain on Adrian's face and my amusement disappeared. I didn't understand why Adrian called these people his friends, they were jerks. It was clear that Jared didn't care whether he went to jail or not. His girlfriend didn't look very supportive either. It was strange. I'd always thought people like Adrian Ivashkov had a bunch of trusty circles of friends and allies; but when it came to it, I realized, they were really no different than the rest of us.

"Can you tell us exactly how Lee was behaving that day? Did he seem distressed, bothered, disturbed—anything that could be considered out of the ordinary?" I quizzed, hoping they'd give up taunting Adrian on his accusation. Well, at least they didn't believe he was the killer. That ought to be a good thing.

I highly doubted that people like Tara and Jared even noticed what happened around them, so obtaining information from them was a long shot—still, something was better than nothing. Jared thought about this, Tara on the other hand, simply shrugged.

"Lee was an 'out of the ordinary' dude. Everything he did weirded me out. For one thing, he woke up at, like, five every morning. Who does that? And he irons his jeans—now that is strange. Plus, he liked hanging out with the people that worked for his dad. Like... He didn't have any friends. Except for that ex-girlfriend he moped on about—what was her name? Kendra?"

"Kylie?" Adrian supplied, and Tara nodded.

"What do you mean talk to people that worked with his dad?" I asked, "I don't know—Wasn't he dating one of his dad's secretaries? I don't know, he seemed to hang around her a lot." Tara muttered.

My eyes widened. "Do you have a name?" She nodded no and I sighed. Jared suddenly perked up, "Now that I think about it, though, Lee was acting stranger than usual. He was eating ice-cream."

I frowned, "What? How's that even...?" Adrian, on the other hand, looked alarmed. "Really?" Tara and Jared nodded in unison. I was clueless. "I don't get it," I stated. "Lee only ate ice cream when he was depressed or stressed. He was, er—Lactose intolerant." Adrian explained. "That isn't good enough. Maybe... Maybe he was just hungry or in the mood?"

"Nope, the way he was chugging that down. Well, if I didn't know any better, I'd say the guy was downright suicidal." Tara explained, "Translate," I muttered, staring down Adrian. He nodded,  
"She means he was stressed on epic proportions. It's worse than I thought, really."

I still didn't make the ice-cream equals suicidal connection, but I didn't know the victim very well, so I went along with it anyway. "Did Lee meet up with anyone? You know, later that day or something?" I questioned. Tara nodded no, but Jared thought about this. "Yeah. Some guy. He said he was an old friend. I'm not sure what that was about." I frowned, "There aren't any records of Lee meeting anyone but the two of you that day." I pointed out. Jared shrugged, "Maybe your records are wrong. I'm pretty sure he met up with someone 'soon as we dropped him home." Adrian looked almost as perplexed as I was now. "Physical description?" he asked. "All I saw was the guy's back, he was wearing a black hoodie. Couldn't make out anything except the fact that his build indicated he was a dude." I nodded. "Anything else?"

They both nodded no, "Other than that? He was his perfectly normal abnormal self."

After a few more questions to both of them, there was proof that neither of them were involved with the killing, I decided it was time we left. "Well—see you guys later!" Tara waved; Jared just gave Adrian a mean smile,

"Call me if you're getting a one-way ticket to Jail, because we'll have to start looking for a new lead guitarist."

xxxxx

"What a... I don't swear but he's a bad, bad person!" I exclaimed, in an attempt to make Adrian feel a little better. It was puzzling, really. Adrian hardly seemed like someone who'd get affected by some jerk's words. I knew that there was more going on, possibly again something I was left out of the loop about. I wasn't sure where we stood on the couple front, but he was still my friend, and I cared about him. Sometimes more than I liked to admit.

Adrian smiled slightly, kicking a stone off the path we were walking on.

"Is that an attempt at comfort? Points for effort, Sage."

Since I was keeping my car parked in Adrian's apartment, I had decided to make the walk back to my hotel once we'd reached. I certainly needed the fresh air. Adrian didn't want me walking back alone—I hated when he played the macho card, but I let him off the hook this time. I was getting a little tired of our constant arguments that usually led nowhere. "Hey! Take it or leave it." I groaned.

The drive had been so long that it was already approaching dawn by the time we had made it back. The leaves on the trees were starting to lose their bright colours and taking on a yellowish-brown tinge, some of them had already fallen. There was a slight rustle that could be heard, the wind was soft and inviting. The sun was about to complete its run for the day and the sky took on a purplish-pink shade. The street we strode on was barren except for the occasional passerby car, dog-walker or jogger.

"Why would you let it get to you?" I mused, instantly wishing I'd kept my mouth shut. Adrian just arched an eyebrow like he didn't understand. "Come on," I urged, "I insult you all the time, you aren't the slightest bit fazed. Now, some idiot with a big mouth teases you a little and you're upset? I don't understand."

Adrian's head jerked up and I could sense a smile tugging at his lips, "No," I stopped him, "Whatever joke you're going to make, whatever tactic you're about to use to ignore the actual question, don't do it. Other people might fall for your devil may care attitude but don't bother when you're with me."

I was starting to get a little surprised by my own words and the way I spoke. The Sydney that I knew—or the Sydney that I thought I knew, would never talk someone down. I just never had the guts. I didn't talk like that to anyone, especially not to a boy. "What about you? Your holier-than-thou attitude is wavering, too," He'd noticed. I just gave him another death stare and the smile was gone.

"I don't know, Sage," he sighed, he was staring at his feet again. "Just, I know that I'm accused of murder and I know it's inevitable but nobody's ever acknowledged it to my face before. I guess Jared's words kinda make it real and scary. He's a major league asshole, but he's still sort of my friend."

I bit my lip. "Well, he's definitely not your friend. I'm no expert in that area, but that was someone who didn't care whether you lived or died. I don't think he deserves to be called your friend. As for the murder trial and everything I told you I'll figure it out. We've got some time left, don't fret over it." I hoped my words were as encouraging as they sounded in my head, unfortunately, I doubted it somehow. Adrian's grin was back, that's when I realized that we'd reached my hotel. Still, I stayed in my place.

"I didn't say I'm worried we won't make it. We will." Now I was amused.

"How can you be so sure?"

"It's called determination, Sage. It's one thing that you and I have in common—well, that and an exceptionally great taste in romantic partners."

I rolled my eyes at his comment.

"Determination, after all, is what the heroes have in stories. It tips the scales, wins the hero the prize; the magic bird, the golden egg, the beautiful princess, prince. Whatever." He explained.

I wanted to disagree, but Adrian had this annoying habit of being right.

For a moment, we just stood there, staring at each other. And the next, he broke out into another wide, genuine grin. I couldn't stop myself from doing the same.

"We're pathetic, you know that?" Adrian nodded in agreement, "Yes, we are. You're an aspiring lawyer who's falling in love with her client who's accused for homicide with a nosey partner, a condescending father and a distressed boyfriend on your ass while I'm a lead guitarist in a band that I hate, have a little sister that mothers me around and am doomed to be thrashed perpetually by life."

I wanted to yell at him because he'd indirectly stated that I was falling in love with him. Those were strong words that I was not prepared to hear, so I should have been upset. I really should have. Instead, I couldn't help but find how accurately crappy and twisted our lives had become a little... funny.

I'd been lying to myself all day, and I knew it. The feelings I harboured for Adrian were real; I could fool him and maybe even everyone else; but I wasn't fooling myself. I didn't love him... but well, maybe I did. Maybe I always would. We hadn't known each other for long, but we hadn't taken much time in figuring out who we both were when around each other. We fit together so perfectly... it hurt. Still, it was funny. Our situation. I wasn't the only one who thought so, Adrian burst into laughter right then. It was bright and real. The laugh of a guy who'd finally sussed out the great cosmic joke that had been played on him—and who wasn't bitter about it.

After a minute, I joined him. Because once again, when you find yourself sympathetic for someone you shouldn't even like, and start to question your own beliefs in life to the point where you aren't even sure who you are anymore, you have to believe that the joke is on you, too.


	23. 22: Don't Keep Your Friends Close

**A/N: This chapter is heavy on the angst, and focuses only on Sydrian and their biggest issues right now. I think that there are only a few more chapters to go before this story comes to an end, so hold on tight, and I apologize again for these late updates. Unfortunately, it may get worse because I am going out of town this week for five days and won't be back until next week. Which means I won't be able to update. :( I promise, however, I will more than make up for it with lightning fast updates as soon as I'm back. I only have two or three more chapters left to write before we reach the end of the line! So hold your horses!**

**Please review and let me know what you think of this story. It means so much that you guys have held on for so long and that I still get some nice reviews from you guys with every chapter update. It's been quite the journey, and it isn't over just yet! ;)**

**Credits: This is written purely for fun, rights to all things Bloodlines related go to Richelle Mead. I have no affiliation with the author whatsoever.**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Don't Keep Your Friends Close

Time was running out.

Time was running out, we had only nine days left for Adrian's trial, we still had one more  
suspect to talk to; obligations on both our heads, and Adrian was painting.

I'd come knocking on his door to discuss some things about the dirt I'd found on our alleged killer and he was painting, like he didn't have a care in the world. When he opened the door, he was wearing a white apron sprawled with various colors, his hands were covered in oil paints and his hair was messy, but not on purpose for once.

He smiled at me, "Miss me, Sage?" I rolled my eyes and pushed him back as I walked in and sat down on one of the sofas in his living room, trying to avoid the canvases, pallets and paper sheets that seemed to be haphazardly spread out everywhere I turned. I found myself wondering what the real purpose of Adrian's new apartment was. Sometimes it was his bachelor pad where he invited all his 'escorts', other times we were discussing life and death situations like his trial in this room, and now it was his atelier.

"Not at all. Just thought we'd start getting ahead on this case but clearly, you've got more important things to deal with. Shall I come back later?" I mused, a tinge of hammy sarcasm in my voice. "Painting is my security blanket," Adrian shrugged, "Plus, I recall _someone _urging me on to 'follow my passions'" He scrunched his fingers to make air quotes. I rolled my eyes.

"Keep that up right now and you'll be following your passions all the way to jail. I meant what I said, but maybe we should find a way to clear your name first."

Adrian's smile vanished, "I'm aware, Sage. Just trying to keep it real, that's all. Being a criminal can be overwhelming." I sighed, "Take the sarcasm down a notch, will you?" He didn't respond to me, he just picked up a paintbrush and dipped it in his palate, mixing the colors up before gliding the paint across a canvas with his back facing me. I stood up, my gaze following every stroke of his brush. I couldn't tell exactly what he was painting, but when I inched a little closer behind him, I could make out a faint outline of a flower. It wasn't just any flower, I soon came to realize, it was a lily. Something in my gut lurched.

"Why are you painting that?" I asked.

His eyes had focused on the sky beyond the window outside. Then his smirk deepened and he looked at me again. In the mid-afternoon sun's light, his eyes glittered dangerously."I think you already know the answer to that."

The lily was beautiful, he'd painted it golden, but it wasn't completely made of one color. There were strokes of purple, orange and red seeping through the edges of the picture making it look a little ecstatic. I feared he wasn't even half done with his masterpiece.

I didn't know how to respond to his trademark outspokenness so I kept my mouth shut. I knew that I was supposed to be stopping him, coaxing him into discussing the real problems on our hands, but I couldn't help myself. I watched him paint, admiring the way his facial features twisted as he went on with his work. He looked so engrossed in it; he seemed passionate and immersed in everything he was doing. He looked exhausted, I realized, like he'd gone a round or five on no sleep. I frowned, saying the first thing that struck my mind, "Why didn't you sleep last night?"

Adrian arched an eyebrow at me before turning back to his painting. "Comes with the job description of being a criminal genius. I was up late last night, plotting world domination and whatnot."  
"Adrian!"  
"I was just... thinking. Didn't realize how the time flew by, it was like I was analyzing stuff, in my own world and when I looked up again it was morning."

"What were you thinking about?" I had to know.

Again, he didn't answer the question. He went back to his canvas. "Fine, don't tell me. Look, we need to go talk to the last suspect on the list, Tyson Wells, and then we can place our next bet on Sheila Donovan." I explained, trying to break the ice with a useful piece of information, my trademark social move.

He was quiet.

"What is it? Does Tyson hate you too?"  
Adrian shrugged, "Skunk would walk over my corpse for free gum."  
"Skunk?"  
"We call him Skunk."  
"Okay then."

I sighed, "Do you think he could be hiding something though?" Adrian shrugged, "He also falls into the asshole category, but he's no murderer, if that's what you're saying."

"Nobody's born a murderer, Adrian."

"Yeah, well, I still think that Sheila's our girl." He spoke with a slight daze, I realized. "Everyone thinks the killer's a male; including the police." I pointed out, recalling facts. "All the more reason for me to believe they're wrong."

I groaned, there was no getting anywhere with Adrian. But maybe... Just maybe he was right, as he did have an irritating tendency of being that way.

I looked on at him. He got the same look on his face that I did when I was in deep thought. Suddenly, a thought struck me, something that I'd been wanting to ask Adrian about. Just to try and explore his point of view in all of this. "Why do you think she killed him, other than the obvious shadiness?"

"Remember you told me that most murders are done by people who the victims have known or been close to? It's true. Sometimes enemies make the best friends." Adrian muttered, with a sardonic twist to his mouth.

"And sometimes friends make the worst enemies."

"What does that mean?" I wondered aloud. I had this horrible feeling in my throat that Adrian was having one of those strange moments of his again, like he was being controlled by something else; letting his emotions run wild.

"They know you best, don't they? They know exactly how to hurt you the worst. They know where you live, what you love, what you hate, where you're weakest and strongest. And when they go, they rip themselves out of you so hard it leaves a hole in the world."

I tried to take that in, deciding that my suspicions had been spot on. Sometimes Adrian did this, mumbled like something had possessed him, a ghost from the past, perhaps? Sometimes, Adrian looked like a tortured soul, it was both enigmatic and a little frightening. His eyes would become dark, stolen of all the light they once held, his face would become ghastly pale and he'd look older than he was. I wondered if he was talking about his ex-girlfriend, the Rose girl. He still felt something for her. It wasn't love, not anymore. It was something, though, something strong and inexplicable. Or maybe he was talking about one of his old friends, since none of his current 'friends' seemed to hold much of an impact over him. I couldn't help but wonder. I couldn't help but feel the need to solve the conundrum that was Adrian Ivashkov.

His emotions were like a light switch that could be switched on and off with a flick at the right button. Suddenly, his eyes cleared and focused and some color returned to his cheeks. I could feel him shaking himself out of it.

"Sorry, Sage. I don't know where I go sometimes."

"You're right, though." I simply nodded, "I think she killed him because she was in love with him. People do the craziest things in the name of love, don't they? It's dangerous, really. When you think about it." Adrian smiled slightly, "So you're saying love is a bad thing?" I shook my head no. "Of course not. It's a beautiful thing. In a certain context, however, say if it's too strong; it can drive people to do things. Bad things - like murder. If you sorta love someone, at least you're not out for blood. Right?" I supplied. Adrian was quiet for a moment, he was staring at the lily he'd painted with a certain intensity in his eyes. Then, without dropping his gaze he muttered, "Emotions are supposed to be raw, ugly, brutal... you don't want someone to 'sorta' love you. You want that love to be a bursting flame, not a candle."

I felt a strange pang somewhere in my chest at that.

I didn't know what to say to that, but I had to do something... change the subject somehow. I picked up a paintbrush from his pallet and splashed some color on an empty canvas next to his own; since I didn't want to ruin his work. But I was horrible at this. Some of the paint splattered onto his right cheek.

"Oops," I bit my lip. Adrian glared at me for a moment, his eyes flared with something mischievous.  
Suddenly, I realized what he was about to do and took a few cautious steps back, "Adrian—"My voice was steady, "Don't do it—Look, it was a mistake..."

I didn't really stand a chance; he was already advancing with his weapon. Too late. He flicked his brush and a spiraling lot of slimy green paint came hurtling my way. I groaned as I touched my cheek that was now covered in the color. I groaned, "You just declared war,"

I grabbed a paintbrush once more and smeared some red onto it before I slammed some on him, but he was quick and made a sharp turn, the red paint landed on the back of his t-shirt. He laughed and flicked some more paint at me, this time it hit my thigh and ruined the grey linen pants I was wearing. "Oh, my, god!" I screamed in anguish.

I don't know how long it went on for, we had all these obligations and things to do and instead here we were, having a stupid paint fight. Somehow, it was also a little fun, I felt a like I was getting rid of all the pent up tension I didn't know I had built up in the first place.

I ducked as he tossed a bowl of murky colorful water at me; Adrian was now playing dirty—literally and figuratively. He had paint smeared on both his hands, his clothes were just as messy and his precious hair was now spoiled.

I had the feeling I didn't look any better.

"Wow, Sage. You look like a unicorn threw up on you." Adrian chuckled; confirming my horrifying suspicions. I huffed, blowing an awry lock of blonde hair away from my mouth before attacking him once more with the fresh yellow paint that was all over my right hand.

"We—Have... to stop!" I panted about five minutes later, I was reeking of oil paints and I didn't like it anymore. Adrian wasn't ready to surrender yet though; he wouldn't go down without a fight. So I just had to take the fight to him and end this once and for all—I pounced on him, knocking him flat on the ground, I landed on top of his stomach and held him down with my weight as I wrapped an arm around his neck. I straddled him. I'd caught him off guard; I'd attacked him ostensibly moments before he would have made his move. Yup, he was surprised. I flicked my paintbrush around, threatening him with it as if it was a knife or some other pointy weapon, taking advantage of the fact that I had him pinned. "You really are the Charlie's Angel from hell, aren't you? Nice moves." He muttered.

I hadn't realized our intimate position until he spoke and I blinked a little. His chest heaved underneath me as he panted, there was a gleam in his gorgeous green eyes and his mouth curved in a flattering smirk that lit up the rest of his face.

My head cleared only a little, and I realized Adrian was staring at me. Had been, in fact,  
staring for several seconds. Steadily I returned his gaze. _Such eyes he has_, I thought. A person could lose themselves in the depths of his eyes. They could drown in them. If I looked hard enough, would I find my reflection in there? Would I be swallowed up in them?

"What are you doing?" Adrian asked, although he didn't look too curious.

With a start, I realized I'd instinctively leaned toward him, until we were separated by no more than a half-dozen inches. I frowned, leaning away from him.

"Nothing," I said.

"You were leaning."

"I was _not_." I insisted. Adrian rolled his eyes, "You're literally on top of me, Sage, not really in the best position to deny your feelings."

I was about to shift off of him, but something stopped me. I wasn't sure what it was, it could have been the look in his eyes, or maybe those ridiculous kissable lips of his. Perhaps it was due to my strange sexual feelings I held for him. Adrian raised his left hand, which was still smeared in fresh, red paint. I didn't know why, but I raised my left hand as well, to meet his.

Our palms slowly met each other. My hand was slightly smaller than his, and his fingers were a little sticky from all the oiled colors. The wet paint between our hands felt cool beneath my skin, goosebumps soon appeared all over my arm. His hand cradled my own, so still that I might have forgotten it was a hand at all, if I hadn't been so utterly aware that it was his. Adrian touching me always derailed my perfectly sensible train of thought and sent my mind into an irritable frenzy.

His palm was slightly rough even under all the paint, his fingers slightly calloused. I was still perched on top of him, and his right hand had curved its way around my waist. Adrian's fingers twitched, stroking along the pulse point of my wrist.

His gaze was riveted on me.

It was the strangest feeling in the world. We stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds, locked in the moment as both our hands remained attached in position.

I raised my right hand and traced the sculpture of his face, mapping the lines of his color splashed eyebrows and lips and strangely soft cheeks. His right hand let go of my waist and came up between us and painted designs over my face: broad strokes across my cheeks and mouth and eyes.

For a few more languid seconds we just remained in that position, our left hands stuck together, the palms of our right hands roaming the span of each other's faces. "Sydney..." His voice was quiet and hoarse.

Suddenly, I realized what was happening and forced myself to snap out of the trance that was beginning to surround me. I peeled my hand off his, stood up and got off of him. My face was burning. What was happening? What was I doing? It was like I was signing my own death sentence - digging my own grave! I was serving myself up on a silver platter for Keith and the rest of my Superiors to prod and poke at. I couldn't keep on like this. I looked into his eyes for one last, long second and then looked away. I knew what was happening of course. My own words began to mock me, echoing inside my head.

_Love is dangerous. When you think about it._

No. I wasn't going to let this go on any further. I wasn't going to let myself fall madly in love with him. I thought about Keith, and my father, I thought about Zoe and how disappointed she would be if she found out... I had to leave. I had to nip this in the bud, before... before the bud nipped me.

"I'm going to go meet Tyson at six, alone. Don't come along. I can handle the case on my own from now."

"Sydney—"

"I have to go."

"Sydney—"

"Not now, Adrian."  
"Sydney—"

"I have to go."

Before he could call out my name again, I was out the door, my heart thudding against my rib cage like a trippy, agonizing beat.

xxxxx

I suddenly felt miserable.

The pent up stress, anger and emotion that had been bubbling inside of me since Day One was only now hitting me - and I wasn't braced for impact. As soon as I reached my hotel, I slipped out of my clothes and got into my bathroom. I took the longest shower of my life, somehow the hot, scorching water trickling down my skin felt good, relaxing; soothing.

It was a bit of a reality check for me.

Since I knew that nobody was around, I decided that I could let my guard down, just for a little while. And so I did. The tears were falling down my cheeks before I even knew it, and I cried. I cried for the entire shower. Life was unfair. I hadn't ever dreamed of something like this happening to me. I liked to plan ahead, keep myself prepared for anything unexpected. For all the bumps in the road. This however, was a little bit _too_ unexpected. I couldn't have known I was going to fall for someone on a case! I couldn't have been prepared for this. There were no strategies to revise, no plans to draw out, no calculations to make. Nothing tangible at all. Only my tumults of feelings, ones that were raging a storm inside of me, choking me.

This stupid love affair that I had going on with Adrian Ivashkov might as well be the death of me.

It's not like I was repulsed by myself, quite the opposite, actually. I was proud of myself, for I wasn't made of stone like I'd thought I was for so long. Because my first and only boyfriend before this had been Brayden and with him things had always been... well, dull, put frankly. I didn't feel that swell in my chest, or the racing hormones. I didn't feel that rush I got inside of my stomach, my heartbeat didn't race. Kissing Brayden had usually been... wet. And it had felt like an obligation. Something that people did when they liked each other. When I didn't get those feelings in my heart for him; I'd thought that something was wrong with me. That maybe I was fated to be like my father after all. That maybe...

Maybe I wasn't meant for love.

Then Adrian Ivashkov happened. He changed everything. I felt it, all of it, times ten; times thousand. I never knew I had so much wayward emotion running inside of me. And now it was like I was at war with myself. The look on his face when I'd run away from him today had almost broken my heart. He looked so upset; so confused. My actions made me seem like a stone cold creature, who couldn't possibly fathom real love and desire. What I truly felt for him was quite truthfully the opposite. I wanted him. I wanted him so much that it hurt - physically, sometimes. So much so that my feet and fingers went numb after thinking about it for too long.

So why did I have to leave? Why did I have to walk away from him? I kept panicking and shutting him out, just when we'd gotten close enough to... It didn't matter. I might as well be my father's daughter. Always running away from stuff like this, keeping myself enclosed in a little cocoon because the outside world was full of dangers unknown. But I liked those dangers. And I liked him...

As soon as I was done with the shower, I dried myself up and put on some formals so that I looked appropriate for my meeting with the suspect. After I blow-dried and brushed my hair, I stared at myself in the mirror for a few minutes. I looked just like the old Sydney. Lawyer Sydney. Responsible Sydney, whose job always came first.

As I looked into the mirror for a little longer, however, I realized something. The truth. The cold, harsh truth. Sure, I looked like that Sydney, I dressed like her. Maybe I could even fool Adrian into believing that she was still who I was. Only I knew better. That Sydney was dead; gone. She was just an echo of who I used to be.

And this new one... Well, I wasn't even sure what her favorite color was.


	24. 23:Those Three Words That Ruined My Life

**A/N: I'm back from my trip! Which means that I'll be able to update again. I will try to keep them coming as soon as possible over the course of this next week. We only have a few more chapters to go! Thanks for all the positive responses, I'm thrilled that you have been so patient with me and that you haven't lost interest so far! I only hope the last few chapters are as satisfying as I want them to be.**

**P.S Do review! This one's in Adrian's POV. It's random, I know, but I wanted to have one more chapter told from his perspective; one that is actually in the present rather than a simple flashback.**

**Enjoy and let me know what you think! :)**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE (ADRIAN).

Those Three Words That Ruined My Life

Sydney didn't want me to go meet Skunk with her, so of course, I did exactly that.

I drove to Skunk's place to talk to him just half an hour before she'd told me she was going to show up. I did it for three reasons 1. Because I had an ego the size of Texas 2. I had to get all up in Sydney's face for the way she was behaving and 3. Sydney was not going to be able to deal with Skunk alone. Technically, I was doing her a favour. Unfortunately, I knew this wouldn't mend the already broken relationship we had. She was going to be very mad when she found out that I didn't stay put and listen to her.

If I was being honest, though, Sydney didn't understand my turmoil. It hurt sometimes, not that I'd ever in a million years admit that to her. She sent me a thousand vibes, sometimes she was hot, other times she was frigid. One moment she wanted me, another she didn't.

And I was getting a little tired of it.

I must've been cursed by Cupid or Hogwarts or whoever the hell was in charge of zapping these stupid feelings at us. Like Rose wasn't bad enough, now there was Sydney. No. I couldn't even compare her to Rose. It was different with Rose. When I was with Rose, everything I'd done was to impress her, so that she'd think that I was a better man than I actually was. I'd done it because I was infatuated, obsessed and crazy about her. That really wasn't the deal with Sydney. With her, I felt like I didn't have to pretend to be a better man, because simply being with her did that. I wasn't obsessed with her, I was connected to her... Or, at least it felt that way. There was this aching need that I had whenever I was around her, this tugging sensation like she was a giant human-sized magnet. There were two parts of me when I was with Sydney, one of them was completely on fire, charged with heat and this unquenchable thirst; going crazy if I wasn't touching her. The other part was at tranquil peace, just content that I was close to her.

Yeah, maybe Rose had been right after all. She wasn't the one, but Sydney was.

It was wrong, though, and I knew that all too well. I could write a thesis on the many reasons why I was wrong for Sydney, I didn't have a lot of reasons why I was right for her, but every time I was around her... Every time we touched, those few reasons for why I was right for her meant the world.

I'd always lived life like it was a joke. I'd always felt like nothing had mattered. People lived and they died, all I had wanted was to make the best of it. Rules, I'd discovered, were meant to be broken. Lines, by their nature, were meant to be crossed. The only way to live had been to defy convention, to say to hell with the facades everyone wore, and really have fun. Fun was what life was about. Pleasure had been my only principle.

After that I'd done what I pleased, taken what I wanted and said to hell with the consequences. I wasn't sure I even had a definition of wrong. Well, up until Sydney came along. I could now call myself the badass'est of names like Jet Steel but that wouldn't change anything.

Sydney was so different from me. She was rules personified. She was the line in the sand that couldn't be crossed, the voice on the mount shouting 'thou shall not!' She was so far above me that she might as well have been the sun. Somehow, that just made me want her more. I could still taste her in my mouth from when we'd made out, and this afternoon when she'd come over and I'd drenched my favorite t-shirt in oil paints because of her. That moment, or whatever we'd had, god that had been strange.

She'd put her palm right against mine and we'd stared deep into each other's eyes. I didn't believe in soul mates, not really. But I thought that if I made an exception - just this one time, then maybe she was my soul mate. I remember feeling like my heart was going to pound out of my chest. I remember her eyes, those amber eyes with the hints of gold. I wanted to paint them, I wanted to drown in them, be engulfed in them for as long as I lived. I don't know why, but it seemed like the color of the eye of an Angel. With the afternoon sunlight seeping through the window and reflecting on her face and hair... Hell, I'd lost it. She had the radiance of an early morning and at the same time, the melancholy brilliance of the moon. I'd read that somewhere, and it was true when it came to Sydney.

_Great, I'm getting poetic now. This is dangerous territory._

I shut out all the Sydney thoughts and parked my car, it was time to talk to the last suspect on our list. Skunk lived in a small apartment off the street, he was pretty rich, but according to him, he liked the 'poetry' of living as a common man.

I just thought he was a privileged asshole trying to sound deep.

Anyhow, I knocked on his door. He opened the door and the sweet smell of cigarette smoke, hookah and perfume wafted through. Skunk was wearing track pants and a tight black t-shirt that was doing no favors for his extremely plump figure. Skunk's real name was Tyson Wells and despite his drone-like personality; the dude kicked ass at the drums.

He grinned at me; I thought his teeth got yellower by the day. "Well, look who it is. Come in, mate!"

It was funny, Tyson was born in London, and he took great pride in it. I think he took a little too much pride, despite the fact that he'd never been to London since he was two years old; he faked an English accent whenever he talked. He also learnt the British lingo so that he could 'impress the ladies'.

Tyson earned his nickname because of his hair; they were a mop of black which he'd dyed with stripes of platinum blonde which made it look like there was a skunk sitting on his head. He was five feet two and had a Napoleon complex, too. Despite that, the nickname 'Skunk' had won out. To add to it, his English accent wasn't good by any means, but I had to give the poor guy credit for keeping up to it no matter what. I smirked at him and walked in, "Did you join the neighborhood Pilate's class or something?"

Skunk laughed as he shut the door behind me. His apartment looked worse than mine, and that was saying something considering I had a dust-bunny museum back at my place. "Just keeping fit, you know? Would you like some organic tea?"

"Just a Coke would do, you know."

"Ah, I apologize, friend. I don't have any of those toxic poisons in my home anymore." I rolled my eyes and chose not to make fun of him for saying that to me. Instead, I walked over to the punching bag he had in his living room and gave it a light punch, which hurt my knuckles in return. "I wanted to talk to you about Lee Donohue. You know what happened to him, don't you?" I offered, getting straight to the point while rubbing a finger over my throbbing knuckles. Skunk sighed and nodded, "Poor chap. He was so young. Ah, well."

"My lawyer's going to be here in about ten minutes, so I thought I'd beat her to it. I know you've got nothing to do with his murder, but answering some of her questions is kind of protocol. And... It would be nice to have you by my side. The more the merrier."

"Right, I heard that. What a bunch of fuddy-duddy nonsense. You aren't a killer; I'll testify anything you want."

I hadn't seen that coming. Jared and his girlfriend almost seemed to buy it that I was capable of the murder, so it was a pleasant shocker that Skunk, of all people, was willing to advocate for me.

"Don't get me wrong," I started, "I'm glad and all that but... don't you want proof?" Skunk simply shrugged, "Lee was a naive lad, Adrian. He had a lot of enemies, anyone could have done it. You? You don't have the balls or the resources to pull that off, no offence."

I wanted to be offended, but I could feel a grin coming on. "Exactly! I wish the idiots who accused me understood that." I guess Skunk wasn't as brain-dead as I'd thought.

Skunk smirked, "They are pretty dim for a bunch of well rounded, educated wankers."

I scoffed at the way he pronounced that last word but felt a little grateful for a change. "So, when is your trial?"

"Very soon. Listen, did you happen to meet Lee a week before he died? What did you guys talk about?" Skunk thought about this, told me to hold on and sauntered over to his room. That second, the bell rang. I checked my phone for the time and grinned to myself. Punctual as ever. "Aye, could you get that for me?" Skunk's voice called out from the room. "Sure!" I assured.

I opened the door and leaned against it, hoping I looked as snarky and obnoxious as I suddenly felt. Sure thing, it was her. Sydney stood in front of me in her chequered beige skirt and matching shirt. She'd swept her layered golden hair to one side of her neck and the expression she wore was absolutely priceless and worth all the trouble.

"Glad you could make it," I muttered, dramatically gesturing around Skunk's apartment. "Come in, please."

Instantly, Sydney's hand flew to her tiny cross necklace that she always wore around her neck. She had that cute habit of fidgeting with it every time she was nervous. It was stupid, but I liked that I could make her feel that way. "I cannot believe you, Adrian. Do you not hear a word that I say?" I looked back at her with mock innocence, "I don't know what you're talking about." Sydney just shook her head, exasperated. "Oh, please. You've just taken up to unnerving me, just like Keith Darnell."

Okay, I wasn't expecting that. I'd done it for fun, and now she was comparing me to  
that sleaze ball? A little harsh, I thought. I was about to reciprocate, but Skunk walked back in and for once, I was glad for the timing. "Oh, hello there." He said, his voice suddenly coming out funnier than usual. "I didn't know we had a pretty lady coming to visit."

Sydney tilted her head in confusion and I controlled myself from the urge of punching the guy and then rearranging the structure of his face. "Skunk," I kept my voice low, "This is my lawyer. The one I told you about? Sydney, meet Skunk. Skunk, meet Sydney."

I had to resist the urge to call her Sage in front of someone else's oblivious eye.

Instantly, he froze up and nodded. "Oh, I'm—uh, sorry, ma'am. Would you like something to drink or...?" His voice trailed off. Sydney just rolled her eyes and pretended like I didn't exist, walking past me to Skunk. "I have a few questions for you." He nodded his head vigorously, "Anything at all."

I shook my head and followed Sydney towards where Skunk stood. "You went to fetch something while we were talking. What was that?" I quizzed. Skunk nodded and pulled out a paper napkin, it had an industrial logo drawn on it with a ball pen. I took it from him and stared at it for a few minutes,  
"Does that mean anything to you or the case?"

I nodded instantly, feeling Sydney leaning in just a little bit so that she could peer at it. Her hair was almost touching my face as she looked upon it and I could smell her shampoo. I leaned in only slightly more; and caught her enticing scent, light, sweet, with just a hint of vanilla. I loved that she didn't douse herself in perfume like most girls I knew. Sydney's scent was rich and fresh and all natural. I was leaning closer again, my hip grazing hers in the process. I ripped my gaze to trail down her lips - full and pink and oh so inviting. The incident that day hadn't diminished my overwhelming hunger for her. If anything, it had only amplified it. My concentration was being shot to hell, knowing Sydney was just within my reach. And judging by the way she shuddered and caught her breath as I inched closer, I knew I wasn't the only one feeling that way. When she realized what was happening however, her head bobbed back up and she took three neat steps away from me.

I sighed, pushing away the Sydney induced thoughts. I just scoffed before turning back to examine the logo once more. "I know this, it's the logo of Clarence Donohue's company—Lee's father." Sydney's face darkened, "Where did this come from?" Skunk raised his hands up in surrender, "I know what you're thinking, mate. Nothin' like that. Lee was scribbling this on a paper napkin the last time I met him, I just drew it for you again. 'Got a good memory, that's all."

"It's his father's company—nothing suspicious there if he was drawing it." I pointed out.

Sydney thought about this and gently took it out of my hand to look at it some more.  
"I don't know... What if it does mean something?"  
"What could it possibly mean?"

"Uh," Skunk raised one hand up, as if asking for permission to speak. "He was drawing it on purpose. When I asked him about his girlfriend and his secret affair that everyone was talking about, he drew it for me. I asked him what it meant but he stayed quiet. The bugger did seem a bit brassed off, if you ask me."

Sydney mouthed something like, "What's with his fake accent?" to me and I laughed  
before turning back to face Skunk and frowned. It was the first time we'd genuinely spoken in a civil manner to each other since our last encounter. That was progress. "Wait, what would any of his girlfriends have to do with his dad's company?"

"That's the golden question, in'nt?" Skunk supplied. After that, I let Sydney ask Skunk a few more obligatory questions until it was time to go and we'd figured out what we needed. "Later, Mate! Let me know if you need anything." Skunk announced as we walked out the door, I nodded at him, "Thanks man, for everything."

We walked side by side towards the parking lot of Skunk's building, I kept expecting that she would be unleashing into an angry fit about how inappropriate and out of line I was to show up here like this, and it didn't happen.

"Do you want to go grab an ice-cream or something? It'll help calm your mind." I suggested, Sydney didn't even look at me. "And get a free cavity? No, thanks." We fell silent again until she spoke up, two minutes later, but it had nothing to do with vehement speeches about how infuriating I was or ice cream.

"I just sent an e-mail to my boss; she'll be sending me the names and files of every individual working in Clarence's company. I sent Clarence's secretary a text, too, so that he'd be alert." Sydney announced; her voice very no-nonsense, all business like.

We reached her car but she didn't get in it, instead she turned to look at me, opened her mouth to say something, but then shut it again and turned away.

"What is it?" I'd spoken before I could even comprehend what I was doing. Sydney glared at me for a moment, "What is what?"

_So we're doing this again.  
_  
"You know what."  
"Then you should know why I'm upset, Adrian."

I rolled my eyes, "Do I win a prize if I guess correctly?"

It was agonizing. This constant warring that was going on between us, I needed closure. Standing so close to her again, it bought back all the feelings from the time we had kissed and my nerves felt like they were being given shock therapy.

"Look, I just need to focus... focus on this case. Alright? It's important right now to get you the evidence that you need so that you don't go to jail. That's my main goal; and that's what your main goal should be too. I can't let... this... whatever it is between us, distract me anymore."

"Sage—"

"No," She crossed her arms over her chest, "I know what you're gonna say. I'm in denial—well, you're right. I was in denial. But I'm not—not anymore. I'll admit it; I'll admit it to you, because that's what you want, right?"

I took a few steps back, simply staring at her. An emotional outburst like the one she was about to give was terribly uncharacteristic of her.

"I really like you; I think I'm falling for you. When I'm around you the world seems like this happy little place and reality just melts away. You leave me flustered, wanting for more, my toes tingle and my heart flutters. When we kiss it's like I'm high on a dozen cups of coffee and I never want it to end. You are incredibly desirable and your stupid perfume smells really, _really_ good. But you know what? When I'm around you, I can't think straight. I can't be the responsible person that I set out to be. I've made this little personality for myself, I've compartmentalized every emotion and feeling I'm supposed to feel, everything that's wrong and right, everything I'm supposed to do and you aren't under any of those lists," She paused to take a breath,

"If I'm away from you—I can fool myself into believing that I'm still that girl who walked into your apartment repulsed and disgusted by you. More importantly, I can do my job and save your life. So please, I'm begging you, let me be."

After that she did the strangest thing, she pulled me to her and gave me a very light kiss on the lips. It didn't even last half a second, but my entire body got that rush that I always got when I touched her. My throat burned and my head started to spin. Damn, her lips were better than any alcohol or tobacco induced high.

"Sydney—" My mouth tasted like charcoal, but she cut me off. "It's not your fault, Adrian."

That did it. Anger pulsed through my veins, I hadn't felt this enraged in a long, long time and it only pissed me off more when I realized that she was the cause of all of that.

"No," I could literally feel my face darkening, "It _is _my fault! It is my fault because I'm in _love _with you for god's sake!"

Everything froze except for my mind, which seemed to mockingly take an inordinate amount of glee in repeating those words like echoes into infinity.

I caught a glimpse at her horrified face and something inside me just snapped—eyes wide as windows, mouth hanging open as if she had no control over it at all. I didn't know where those words had come from but I suddenly felt like a giant weight had been lifted off of me. I loved her. I was in _love_ with her.

I hadn't even thought it before I'd said it, hadn't had a chance to roll the idea around in my brain and see how it sounded like before I'd blurted it out—which just made it deeply, unfortunately, horribly true. I had no idea how long I just stood there, frozen like a statue with my mouth just as wide open as hers. A mountain of unwelcome thoughts and emotions seemed to tumble down and collapse into a giant ocean of despair inside my head. Finally, I dared to look up at her, just a little bit, from the corner of my eyes.

She seemed to be recollecting something; she seemed to be trying to convince herself that what she had just experienced wasn't real. I knew that look of hers very well. I'd seen it before. Finally, she met my eyes; her eyes were cold as stone.

"I will handle the case from here on out. You do what you have got to do, and I'll do what I have to. I'm... I'm sorry, I really am."

With that, she got into her car and drove off, and for the first time, I was the one who was left surprised.

xxxxx

"YOU TOLD HER YOU LOVED HER?" Jill's voice regarded me on the other end of the line as I smoked my fourth cigarette this day and talked to her. "Yeah, it just happened. I don't know how, it just did."

Jill was quiet for a long time before she spoke again, "You do realize that you are royally screwed, right?" I scoffed a little too myself, and nodded, "Yes, I'm quite certain I am."

To my relief, whatever Jill was thinking she wasn't in the mood to share it with me. She dropped the subject that had anything to do with any 'ILYs' being exchanged. "So she said all of that?" Her voice was inquisitive, like she was trying to gather all the data for an experiment. "Yeah, why?"  
"It's just a little hard to picture Sydney saying all of that. She isn't exactly forward." I nodded to myself, taking another, long drag.

"You think you know somebody and then they surprise you." I said, "Adrian, she's right about one thing. Focusing on you not going to jail is more important right now. I know how much you love her, but it's just going to have to wait. Orange does not bring out the colour in your eyes."

I chuckled, but there was no real humor to it.

"I don't know what to do, Jailbait. I can't get her out of my mind."

"I'll tell you what to do. Get yourself out of this little situation and then go fantasize about young blonde lawyers who quite literally have your life in the palmS of their hands."


	25. 24: Down The Rabbit Hole

**A/N: I am SOOO sorry for the delay! I spilled water on my keyboard and it was at the service centre for daays. I hope the swift updates will make up for this. Okay, so I'm going to admit something. Things are going to ramp up from this chapter on, I've re-read a few chapters from my story and realized that I ended up drawing quick conclusions to a lot of events that happened earlier. I didn't want to drag the story on for too long. The killer might just be revealed in the very next chapter, I really, really hope you guys will be satisfied with the conclusion, just remember... the murder mystery dynamic was always the B plot, and I'm merely an amateur in this genre. This chapter however, is pure Sydrian goodness. There will be no more denial. No more fights. Just lots and lots of fluff and love! :D**  
**This was kind of a tricky chapter to write for reasons that are hard to explain, nevertheless, I really do hope you guys like it.**

**Don't forget to review and tell me what you thought!**

**Credits: This is written purely for fun, rights to all things Bloodlines related go to Richelle Mead. I have no affiliation with the author whatsoever.**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Down the Rabbit-Hole

I thought my day couldn't get any worse, so of course, it did.

As I was walking down the hotel lobby so that I could go up to my room and continue some leftover research on the case, the receptionist stopped me. "Uh, Ma'am?" I turned around and walked over to the sheepish looking employee, she was pulling out a key from a drawer. "We had a... situation in your occupied room. It's been closed down for further investigation at the time being. We have moved all of your belongings to another room down the hall, also, we'd like you to check all of your stuff and let us know if it's all still intact."

Something inside my chest began to throb, and warning bells chimed in my head. I narrowed my eyes at her, taking the key. "What happened?" She bit her lip. "I am so sorry, ma'am. If anything out of your luggage has been stolen we will hold ourselves accountable. We'll set you up with insurance and everything. We take these things very seriously."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. "Can you please explain exactly what happened?" The receptionist looked a little reluctant, but the look on my face must have been either very intimidating or very desperate, because she looked around and nodded. "I... I'm not allowed to give too much away—Hotel policy, but I can tell you this. There was a break-in. The security here is usually very tight, and the only room that seems to be affected is yours, Miss Sage."

That was all the information I needed to freak out. After that, I staggered up to the new room as quickly as I could and began sifting through all of my things. Everything was there except for the second tape; the one we'd procured earlier from Lee's house. A surge of extreme disappointment shook my entire body, and I needed to lean against the wall to try to think this through with a tranquil mind. The timing could have been the worst ever; I'd been very close to encoding that tape! I slowly realized that all the 'souvenirs' Mark had left us were still there, too. The killer... or whoever it was who broke in, must have known that wouldn't help Adrian's case by leaps and bounds.

I cringed, managing to pull off my shoes and sitting on the bed to take a few deep breaths. A killer, or his lackey, had been inside my hotel room. They went through so much risk just to get that little tape back before I'd finished encoding it; if this proved one thing to me, it was that the tape had to have some weight on the case.

Maybe it was evidence, hardcore evidence that had slipped out of my hands. If only I hadn't wasted so much time fraternizing with Adrian; if only I'd kept my focus on the case maybe I could have encoded it sooner and I wouldn't be in such a predicament.

The tape could have probably saved Adrian's case!

Suddenly, I felt nauseated and aggrieved. If Adrian lost this case now, it was going to be because of my unprofessionalism. My indecorous behavior was not only going to cost me this case, but it was going to cost Adrian his freedom, and if we were really unlucky; his life.

So I felt even more disgusted with myself when I felt this aching need to be in his arms. I needed him right now; I needed him to tell me that everything was going to be fine and that it wasn't such a big deal. He would surely have some encouraging words that would keep me from feeling even more humiliated and perturbed.

His words kept nagging me, during the car ride to the hotel; I'd almost got hit by a truck when I'd waited too long on the signal because I was lost in thought. For the second time.

Lost in wrong, lusty, Adrian-filled thoughts! God, he was going to be the death of me. Some day they were going to make a movie about Adrian, and they were going to name it Death By Ivashkov.

His words remained intact inside of my mind, like they'd been engraved in stone and drilled into my head.

_It is my fault because I'm in love with you for god's sake!_

Everytime I heard those words echo inside me, in his voice, I felt like I was going to die. It was like a blood rush to the head; an indescribable feeling. Like I was free-falling, tumbling towards a dark, bottomless pit that led nowhere and it left my mind reeling and my skin tingling for his touch. The high that I got just from simply thinking about Adrian Ivashkov was dangerous. I was not supposed to like it, this was not who I was groomed to be.

It was wrong, especially because I had a boyfriend. But everything with Adrian was heightened, every fleeting emotion, touch, action. I could still feel every part of my body that he had touched, and they tingled simultaneously. When I was around him it was like every organ inside my body was turning to mush in one quick Domino effect, falling one by one and transforming into liquid. I felt the need to steady myself again.

I was so lost, I had fallen so deep down the rabbit hole that I had reached a point of no return. How many times was I going to fool myself into pretending that I didn't feel it too? How many times was I going to skip away from him, feeling scared and helpless? My entire speech to him earlier this day felt bleak and constructed.

I'd been honest, but I'd also been dead wrong. Somehow, along this tragic roller-coaster ride that had become my life, I'd fallen for Adrian, very hard. Right now, thinking back on all the horrible things I'd said to him I felt like a shell of a human. There was a hole where my heart should be, a giant, painful one and it was only getting wider. I felt empty and alone.

Mostly, I felt like I'd lost a friend.

Even right now, I needed to call him; he was the first person I wanted to tell about the break-in. It was his case that I was working on after all, he was the sole person who deserved to know about this misstep—it was his fate on the line here, not mine.

Well, technically, my fate was now on the line too.

I peered at my phone; I had absolutely zero calls or messages from him.

_Do I love him, too? _Suddenly, I realized that I didn't even need to think about it, the answer was automatic and I felt like everything that had happened before this moment was pointless. I thought of the few times that we'd been together over the past few weeks and for once, I didn't regret it.

The truth was, I didn't hate myself at all for wanting him, not really. Somewhere in between his quips and my disregard for them I'd fallen in love with him, too. I could see his face when I closed my eyes, that warm, sometimes smug, smile of his. Those dazzling green eyes that could light up everything in their wake and set them all on _fire,_ and his lips—I'd never felt something more soft or inviting against my own.

I needed him right now. I wasn't sure what I was going to do once I was at his apartment, but I'd figure it out along the way. So I drove, and it was the longest drive of my life. The anticipation was killing me, heat was spreading inside every single part of my body, and my eyes were starting to burn... I didn't know if they were because of the tears or because of something else, but I didn't dwell upon it to find out.

I rang his bell at least three times and tapped my foot on the floor nervously as I waited, tugging at my lower lip in anxiety. He opened the door and his green eyes went wide. His hair was slightly wet from a recent shower, and he smelt really good again; like he'd bathed in that expensive yet irrevocable scent. He was wearing a black t-shirt—one that stuck very well to his chiseled torso.

"So something horrible happened, but I'm assuring you that I will work on it. There is no way on earth that I am going to let this case go down without a fight. I'll look for clues, I'll hunt Lilah down, I'll do whatever is necessary-"

He cocked his head to the side and arched an accusing eyebrow, "Are you going to get to some kind of point soon or are you on your way to inventing fire?"

I took a deep breath and strode right into his apartment. "Make yourself right at home," he muttered.

I just waved off his nonplussed sarcasm.

"Someone broke into my hotel room and they got the tape when I was at the brink of unearthing whatever it was hiding. I would take the fight right to Lilah but I'm not sure if she's the killer."

Adrian thought about this, then shut the door behind me and turned around. "I happen to have the scoop on that. I may have done some research because there was no way that I was going to leave the case to your paws and I _did_ find some information. Did you send Clarence's secretary a head's up?"

At first, I was a little confused at what he was getting at and then it struck me. I felt my eyes widen, "Oh, no. I led her straight to it."

"Oh, yes. Turns out, Sheila Donovan isn't dead—or, well, the real one is but Lilah Lehane is going by two names. Sheila by day and Lilah by night is what I'll assume. She's working as Clarence's secretary for the moment. I did some more digging and found out some solid stuff; Lilah Lehane is her real name. She broke out of a rehab facility in Chicago when she was sixteen and apparently killed one of her inmates' a.k.a the _real _Sheila Donovan."

Compressing all this sudden newfound information was starting to prove a little hard and I collapsed on Adrian's couch. _So Lee wasn't her first kill._

"So... She's impersonating the real Sheila Donovan?"

Adrian nodded, walking over to me. "I'm talking credit cards, birth certificate, dental records and even report cards. Sheila had tons of experience and a great record; Lilah must've used that to get a job with Clarence. She pronounced Lilah Lehane dead, that's the reason everyone thinks that Lilah's the one who died. She switched the names and everything. Forged all the hard-proof; this girl's got some pretty commendable smarts, I'll give her that. Anyway, apparently Sheila didn't have a lot of living relatives or friends to identify the body. It was game, set, match for Lilah, I'd bet."

"And Clarence has no idea?"  
"Nobody's got any idea."

I grew excited all of a sudden, some of my fury washing away already. "We can use this stuff, Adrian! We can do a little more snooping, then all we need is proof and we've won the case!"

Adrian scoffed, "I wish it was that simple."

My mind was already spinning, I was thinking about making a flow-chart or two so that we could compile all the evidence and dirt we had on our girl so far. I needed to know if she had an accomplice or not, how she got in and out of jail...

Then I turned to look at Adrian, seeing him in a whole different light. "You found out all this within the span of the evening?"

Adrian grinned proudly, "Yeah, I guess heartbreak's a good color on me."

That's when it hit me—what I was really here for. Now that we had so much information that the case didn't look like a lost cause anymore, it would just have to wait. "Oh, Adrian..." I sighed, and to my surprise, he pulled me into his embrace. I felt too vile, like I didn't deserve being treated so nicely by him.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt? You said something about someone breaking in? How on earth did she pull off breaking into a hotel room?"

This was why I loved Adrian. He was so compassionate and kind, he put on a great facade, but I knew how broken he was on the inside. And he felt this unfaltering need to constantly be of service, and to help those in need. Despite the fact that I had stepped on his heart and crushed it at least three times over in the length of our time together (if I was counting), he was still being cooperative, chivalrous and kind.

It was immensely attractive.

"That's a good question, but it doesn't matter. Not now. I... I'm not fine, but it has nothing to do with the break-in. Adrian, I know I've been extremely fickle-minded and tetchy with you, especially earlier today. I was scared..."

Adrian sighed, cupping my chin and holding it up so that I had to look right at him. "What are you so scared of, Sage?"

"Well, I used to think that I'm scared because I wasn't myself when I was with you, but now I'm just scared that I _am _myself when I'm with you. If... If that makes sense."

"So you aren't the girl you were when you walked in, Sage. Change is good and it's a part of life. I'm sorry that I said those words to you, they came out of nowhere and they shocked me, even more than they shocked you. But... I meant every word. If you think you can't handle that—"

This time, I was the one who cut him off. I pulled him closer to me and our lips met. He kissed me for a second, and then he came out to take a breath and his eyes were questioning me. "I feel the same way," I whispered.

He couldn't even begin to contemplate how difficult it was for me to get those words out. "I love you, too." Thankfully, he didn't give me the time to contemplate them, either.  
We were already kissing again and I was aware. Aware of him. I was intrigued by the way my body immediately responded to his. It was as though tiny bits of iron were embedded in my skin and they were magnetized by his touch, swiveling to follow his every move.

Kissing Adrian was like nothing I'd ever done.

It wasn't like the wet, open-mouthed kisses Brayden had favored, or the romantic, slow, drugging kisses that I'd read about in several novels. Adrian kissed like it was the end of the world and he was getting his last hour to live and making the best of it. His mouth was alive against mine, demanding, passionate, consuming.

Beneath his mouth, I burned.

He dipped his head to trail kisses over my throat as I spread out on Adrian's plush couch. His fingers had already begun working at the hem of my shirt. Beneath my clutching fingers, his hair was impossibly soft and curly. My other hand clutched his shirt.

I made a small noise inside my throat as Adrian moaned against my skin. His lips were smooth and tasted vaguely like clove and mints. I could still feel Adrian's breath against my bare skin as he pulled my shirt off my head and I let him.

Briefly, Adrian looked up at me and met my eyes, his gaze was asking for permission. I could feel the heat of Adrian's body all down my front, separated by scant inches and the thin cotton of his t-shirt.

And so, I gave him a subtle nod of acceptance.

xxxxx

I lay over Adrian's chest that morning, propelling my head up with my right elbow as my left hand traced the contours of his chest, tracing patterns on his arms and abs. His left hand met mine and he clasped his strong, long fingers with mine. Blue veins traced up the inside of his pale arm. His hair was mussed, probably due to the night we'd had. But it was the look in his eyes that arrested my attention: all that heat directed steadily at me.

"They are so golden." Adrian spoke softly and I tilted my head in confusion, "What?" He smiled, looking slightly dazed. His other hand was tangled in my shriveled hair and he twirled his fingers in it. "Your hair, they're so golden. Like the guy from the fairy tale—RubbleStein, weaved them fresh and turned them into gold." I chuckled softly, rolling my eyes at him. "It's Rumpelstiltskin."  
"Huh?"  
I let go of his hand and ran it through his hair. "I believe that the fairy tale character that you are referring to is called Rumpelstiltskin."

Adrian flashed me a playful smile, "I knew that."

Sex with Adrian. Adrian and sex.

For some reason, I'd always imagined my first time to be on a bed, not a couch. Then again, I hadn't imagined that my first time was going to be with my first client either. I hadn't been thinking long term, not even with Brayden. With him, we didn't even kiss enough to think about sex. Now that I'd done it, I figured sex with him would have been very organised and composed. Not passionate, intense, electrifying and dizzying like sex with Adrian.

I looked over at him through some wayward locks and he pushed them away from my eyes with his knuckles, "What are we going to do now, Adrian?" I asked. "We," he said, taking my hand once again and kissing my fingers, "Are going to formulate a badass plan, and get the bitch."

"Hmm," I muttered, feeling a lazy smile spread across my face as my finger trailed up and down his chest. "Well, if you have any particular 'badass' plans in mind then you're going to have to confess now because D-Day is nearing and we haven't sorted anything out yet."

Adrian laughed a little, "It's like you're the one who's going to jail," I hit him lightly on the hand and rolled over to my side of the bed - which we'd made our way to after the couch had gotten too uncomfortable, and stared up at the ceiling. "Don't joke about this, I'm serious. You have no idea how much I'm going to kill you if you end up going to jail. We—We have five days left..."

I could feel his muscles tense a little, and he turned to look at me, I realized that he was nervous too, even more so than I was. He was just better at hiding it. I guess I'd solved the mystery that was Adrian Ivashkov—he was great at masking his turmoil, and only slipped in front of those who knew him very well and those who he trusted.

"Trust me," He started, "If I think about it too much, I'd probably be binging on ice cream and listening to sad country music. I'm worried, Sage, I am, but thinking about it or venting on about how afraid I am isn't going to change anything. The only way to eliminate the problem is by taking action, and we're doing that. So for now, can we just... pretend like we're a normal, happy, boring couple and not talk about it?"

I could see it in his eyes, there was pain there. Tons of it. Suddenly, I felt bad about ruining the moment and pointing out all the problems that lay ahead of us. It was in my nature, though, to overthink every single issue and re-analyze it until I came to a fair conclusion. For once, though, I tried to push all the pessimistic thoughts away.

I pursed my lips and grinned at him, "So, what couple thing do you want to do next, Captain Boring?" Adrian's eyes flashed with something playful, "Well, we could do lots of stuff. We could take that horrible couples Pilates class that Mrs. Forrest runs down the lane, or we could have a debate on which one of us is better in bed, or..." He pulled me towards him and gave me a spontaneous, heart-racing kiss.

"We could change our names and move to Israel. We could rent one of those boathouses, squat there, dodge the police. Fugitives on the run. That's romantic, right?"

I laughed, "It's not boring," Adrian nodded, biting his lower lip. "True."

xxxxx

They say that if you've gone through enough in life, nothing surprises you anymore.

I didn't buy it one bit. Life always had a way of turning the tables on you when you least expected it, it had a way of kicking you everytime you reached that point in your life when you thought that things might actually start to look up for you. It was life's way of reminding us that it wasn't a fair ride.

I had a killer to worry about. A real-life killer. I also had Adrian—my first ever Law case client's life to worry about. Not to mention my own if my father ever found out just how 'comfortable' I'd gotten with my client. I had things to worry about. Stuff to do. We had formulated a plan, too. It was risky, but wasn't that something that was inevitable in my life now? The plan wasn't the worst plan I'd ever heard, but it was still coming up to a close second. It was Adrian's initial idea, so I really wasn't surprised. Something else handled the element of surprise for him.

Brayden was here.

And he did not look happy. 

* * *

**A/N: I'd like to believe that Sydney's spur of the moment whim to throw caution away and get together with Adrian was well earned. However, it could just be me being bias towards me. So I'm going to leave that up to you.**


	26. 25: To Catch A Mocking Girl

**A/N: I'd like to apologize to anyone who was expecting a full-blown trial, while that would have been nice, I don't have all the information that comes with that so I decided to stick to my area of expertise and take the safe way out. I could have written the trial, but I'm afraid the results of that would have been mediocre at best. Anyway, there are a few more chapters to go, it's not over yet! I... I'm not sure if you guys will be satisfied with the conclusion, the story ended in sort of a rush, but hopefully I'll be able to wrap everything up nicely in the last chapter.  
**  
**Credits: This is written purely for fun, rights to all things Bloodlines related go to Richelle Mead. I have no affiliation with the author whatsoever.**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

To Catch A Mocking Girl

He was leaning against the doorway when I opened it, and he had his arms crossed over his chest. He was also carrying a few files in his left hand. Thankfully, Adrian wasn't with me at the moment, unfortunately, I was pretty sure I smelled like him.

Not that it mattered. It wasn't like Brayden knew his scent, despite the fact that he had the nose of a bloodhound. I took a deep breath, suddenly feeling cheap and disgusting and…I couldn't believe that I was about to use this term, but vulgar.

"Brayden!" I exclaimed in false excitement, "What are you—you doing here?"

I was asking the question as a formality, I was already pretty aware of what was going on. Keith was the puppeteer in all of this, and the only practical reason that my boyfriend was standing in front of me. Brayden's voice was tinged with animosity, "Keith Darnell, your partner and I spoke on the phone. He was worried about you."

I knew it. I'd known that psychotic jerk was going to do something to ruin this for me. Just when we'd been making solid progress! Suddenly, my throat got all dry and my voice came out in a stutter, "W-What did he tell you?"

_Maybe this is a good thing, Sydney. You can break-up with him face-to-face._

Brayden sighed, "May I come in, Sydney?" I nodded vigorously, biting the nail on my index finger. I shut the door behind him as he stomped over and perched himself on the edge of the bed. I wasn't sure how to react, I didn't even know what to expect out of him.

The inevitable confession was here. Now, I'd played it out in my head a couple of times, but nothing had prepared me for this. There were numerous ways this could go, of course, and my mind couldn't help but scour out the worst possible scenarios. I took a deep breath, really wishing that I had a cup of coffee or at least an aspirin at hand right about now. No matter how I spun it, at the end of the day I knew that I was at fault here. It didn't matter if it was love, I had cheated. I was wrong. That however, could not and should not affect Adrian's case, Brayden was a nice person at heart, I just had to believe he wouldn't tell my superiors.

"Brayden I—" He cut me off, raising his hand to shush me and then took another deep breath. He put the file he was carrying on the table for me to view. My eyes widened when I saw what was on them. There…There were pictures of me, with Adrian. There were pictures from the night at the frat party, there were pictures from when we made the impromptu visit to the scene of the crime—pictures from the outside of Mr. Donohue's house. We weren't kissing or anything, but you could tell just by the expressions on our faces and body language in several of the pictures that we were comfortable around each other.

I gulped, feeling bile rise up my throat. I was going to be sick. This…This was it. This was the end of my career. This was the end of our lives, both of us. I…I was done for. My hands were literally shaking and I had to lean against the coffee table to keep from stumbling.

Somehow, after five long minutes of absolute silence—I found my words.

"Keith… showed you these? He… How… I…"

How did one react after being caught red-handed for such a thing? On one hand, I could deny that this was anything more than a regular client-lawyer meeting thing. There was no hard proof that we were more than friends, after all. Unfortunately, I had a moral compass. I couldn't fabricate more lies to him, he… he deserved the truth.

To my surprise, though, Brayden shook his head no. "No, Sydney, they are not. Why would you say that? I have a friend, she is a private detective—" At that, I cut him off, finding my words. The sick feeling inside my gut worsened.

"You hired a private eye to spy on me? That's…That's horrible, Brayden!" I would have added '_how could you not trust me?_' but that would just be ridiculous, considering I clearly was the one at fault here, in whichever way you twisted it. That didn't mean that I was okay with some stranger taking snapshots of me and Adrian while we were on business, though. I didn't have tons of romantic experience, but I was pretty sure 'hiring a professional to spy on your girlfriend' was filed under the _Don'ts_ list.

"It wasn't like that. You've just been so distant lately. I wanted to make sure you were alright, you _are_ hanging about with someone who has been accused of a homicide, after all."

"Oh, I get it. You hired someone to nose their way into my personal life because you care about me. That makes it alright." I taunted, sounding harsher than I'd intended.

Brayden winced, "I was insecure. I'm sorry, but I guess I had good reason—didn't I? You do know that consorting with a client is considered a federal offense?" I didn't hear the rest of what he was saying; the gist of it was Brayden listing all the punishments that came with committing the crime of fooling around with a client and elaborating on them in gruesome detail. I couldn't take it anymore, I wanted to scream, cry, throw things. I had to constantly calm myself down and count to ten in order to relax. I just felt like it was all a little too much to take.

All kinds of emotions came hurtling at me. Anger. Resentment, Disappointment. But most of all? Fear. When he finally stopped blabbering, I spoke up.

"Does Keith know?" I muttered tentatively. It wasn't like I could offer him solace. I'd done him wrong; I deserved the hate that he threw at me—more so than he even knew. I'd cheated on him, and now I was going to pay the price.

Again, Brayden looked perplexed by the accusation. "No, not at all. You'd be glad to know, Sydney, that I don't plan to let him know, either. I won't tell anyone. That's why I brought these papers over to you. Burn the evidence if you'd like. I just wanted to warn you about what you're getting into. I don't want you getting into trouble or going to jail simply because I'm upset. I'm much too mature for that, I'd have you know."

And I was grateful. So, so, very grateful. I wanted to hug him at that moment, it was instinct—but I held back. Suddenly, I felt the guilt of the last few weeks wash over me and my throat closed up again. It was strange. I was feeling both extremely relieved and overly reprehensible at the same time, if that was even possible.

I was overjoyed that this had nothing to do with Keith, but slightly sad that I'd betrayed Brayden in such a way. On the other hand, it made it a little difficult to sympathize with him knowing that he had someone scouting me and on my tail for who knows how long.

"Thank you, Brayden. I really mean it." He simply nodded, looking disinterested in my apology, "Look, Sydney. Fraternizing with this guy is going to get you into trouble. I don't know what you see in him, you and I are quite literally a perfect match. He isn't even on the intellectual level that you are on. However I realize that this is an…experimental phase in most late adolescents lives, so I will excuse your behavior. Just… think about how far you are willing to go simply to satisfy a childish romantic whim."

I smiled. I knew that I shouldn't be smiling. All this had been told to me before, by my father, by the inner Alchemist in my head, but none of it phased me…Not anymore. I could see it all quite clearly now. Brayden was pretty much a Jared Sage in the making, and one of them was enough to sustain me for a lifetime. He was full of himself, and very robotic, too. I wasn't sure he even had the word 'romance' in his vocabulary. He thought just like my father did, and behaved quite like a bigoted idiot. I realized that I was just like that too, not too long ago.

But Adrian… He'd let me in on the secret to a good life. Things were so different with him. He'd saved me from falling into my father's footsteps, from turning into an impassive robot like Brayden over here. I never even knew I could feel so much until I'd met Adrian. And that's when I knew it. Brayden had faced me with an ultimatum; he asked me how far I was willing to go for Adrian. The truth? I'd walk to hell and back if that meant I could keep him from having his entire life snatched away from him.

I was in love. I was Sydney Katherine Sage, and I was in love.

When I didn't respond to Brayden he just sighed, "Take care of yourself, Sydney. Goodbye."  
I let him make his way towards the door; I caught his arm as he made his way out. "You promise you won't tell a soul?" He rolled his eyes, clearly exasperated by my behaviour—I didn't care. "Yes." I smiled at him, trying to muster one as genuine as possible, "Thank you, Brayden. And… I really am sorry about the way things turned out." The truth was, I really was sorry about it, Brayden may act like Jared Sage, but he still had a little heart left in him. He deserved a girl who'd spend all night writing algorithms with him. I just wasn't that girl.  
He nodded, and I turned around to go take the file. Brayden spoke up one more time before he left, "And Sydney?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm breaking up with you."

"I know."

He left. I smiled to myself like a lunatic as I looked for a matchbox to burn the files.

xxxxx

"Good Golly, Miss Sage! You broke up with your boyfriend right after cheating on him." Adrian mused.

The next day, Adrian and I were having lunch together—after which we were going to get our poorly constructed plan in action. He had taken me to a beautiful picnic spot only a couple of miles from where we were supposed to go afterwards. We sat on a lush green lawn that was surrounded by sprinklers and a few tourists with cameras. There was a plummeting stream of crystal clear water with a raging battle at the bottom that broadcasted a dense layer of foam and spray for miles around the waterfall. Adrian definitely had a magnificent eye for scenery and an exquisite taste for romance.

Perks of going out with an artist, I guess.

Other than a few people scattered here and there, the area was quite secluded. "You vixen." He added mockingly. "Technically, _he_ broke up with _me_. I know I didn't tell you much about him, but it never came up." I argued as I licked some peanut-butter off my finger. "Plus, you never told me about the adorable step-sister." Adrian scoffed, "Will I ever live that one down?" I grinned."Not in this lifetime." He picked a juicy purple grape and tossed it at me; he missed my mouth by quite a few inches.

"I was pretty sure that grape feeding is on the list of boring couple things to do," he grumbled, trying to justify his actions. I chuckled lightly, "It's alright. I don't like grapes anyway."

We were both quiet for a bit after that. It was nice, being here, under the sun with him and having a normal person date. Refreshing, somehow—unfortunately, it was far from the reality of our lives. I suspected the looming danger of the plan that we were about to put into action was dawning on him as well. I wasn't even sure if it was going to work. We were planning on confronting Lilah, to see if she budges and recording it on my phone so that we'd have proof against her in the court of law. I wasn't sure how good I was at persuading a murderess to come clean but I was sure about one thing, I was the only one suited for the task. Being able to have a way with words was a fundamental aspect of being a Lawyer, and she would never confess to Adrian—the guy that she was framing. I was the only viable candidate.

Adrian was less than pleased, of course. He kept going on and on about how dangerous it would be and that he couldn't see me risking my life in such a way. I told him that it wasn't his decision. This lady, she was going to pay for what she did. Adrian suddenly spoke up, as if reading my thoughts and only rehashing my growing concerns.

"I get it. You're the one-woman justice league but you'll need back-up. You are confronting a crazy person who's killed two, probably more people. I'm not letting you get hurt, I'd never forgive myself. Plus… I don't like feeling useless. It's a slap to my man-ego and all that."

I was quiet for a few minutes, watching the ducks picking at the bread crumbs at the artificial lake in front of us. "I wish I was a duck," I mumbled pensively, Adrian frowned. "Huh?"  
"No responsibilities, no fears, no worries. And I'm sure ducks don't have to worry about what would happen if the other ducks found out they were in love. In a way… they have more freedom than we do as human beings."

Adrian thought about this, "Yeah. How dare the ducks go on living their happy duck lives while we're stuck with longer life-spans and the ability to speak?" I rolled my eyes at him, and sighed. "Don't worry about me, Adrian. I know how to handle myself in drastic situations. Most likely, I don't even think she'll try to hurt me. If she does…"

There was a crazy glint in Adrian's eye. "If she does… then what, huh? Get killed, end up like Lee? She's already done it twice! Third time's the charm, huh?"

"Adrian…" I said gently, suddenly alarmed—pretty sure that he was having one of his moments.

"No! Don't say my name like that! Look at me—_Look_ at me!" He leaned towards me, grabbing my shoulders and forcing me to stare into his green eyes again. His breath was warm on my face, I cringed.

"You might be alright with getting killed—but me? I'll be devastated…okay? If you die, I'd literally go out of my freaking mind, do you hear me? Death doesn't only affect you, Sage. It affects everyone around you."

I tried to calm my racing heartbeat. The butterflies were going wild, and they were ready to multiply like bed bugs but I managed to get a hold on them for now. I sighed, "Where is this coming from? You…You're over-analyzing this. I'm not going on a suicide mission, I can hold my own."

He seemed to realize he was taking his frustrations out on me; he leaned back and bit his lip sheepishly. "I'm sorry," I sighed, brushing the back of my hand over my forehead in exasperation. "I'll be alright, I promise."

Unfortunately, I thought that neither of us believed that.

We were quiet for the next few minutes, until something struck me. "I wanted to tell you something," I told him quietly, he nodded; urging for me to go on. "You remember Keith and his eye, don't you?" I asked, and he smirked, "I doubt I can forget. The guy bothering you again?" I shook my head, although somewhere at the back of my mind I did wonder what Keith was now up to. Apparently, he'd only urged Brayden on, he hadn't told him anything about our relationship. Which meant that he didn't know, I wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not. With Keith, it could mean anything. He could be sitting in his evil libratory right now, formulating a diabolical plan. Somehow though, I doubted even Keith was that insane. On the other hand, he'd sexually assaulted my sister, so maybe he was. Adrian was snapping his fingers at my face, "You just blanked out, Sage."

"Sorry," I began again, "No, it's not that it's just... Keith did something very bad to my older sister, Carly. And I-I found out about it. I was so mad, Adrian, I just had to do something. I couldn't sit back and... watch. It was so sick and twisted and _wrong_. So I made a deal... with someone very dangerous. Someone who dealt with the mafia and the underworld, I paid him money to hurt him and they... they destroyed his eye. Yeah, I didn't do the damage directly but I was the brains behind the operation." I explained, Adrian frowned just a little bit, his green eyes calm and calculating. He tilted his head, "Why are you telling me this now?" I shrugged, a little unsure myself. "I just thought you should know."

Again, he was quiet. "Are you mad?" I squeaked, when I couldn't stand the silence. "No," he muttered, "No, I think he deserved it."

xxxxx

I was standing at a killer's doorstep.

My mind didn't let me forget that. It kept reminding me how terrible a plan this was, and a voice that sounded suspiciously like Adrian's was begging me to turn around. I held my ground. I could do this, I had to. It's not like I didn't bring any back-up. Unlike the night when Adrian and I had been brusquely attacked, this time, I was prepared for anything. I was carrying pepper spray, a pocket knife, a stun gun that I'd procured from a friend on the force and a recording device inside my purse. I also had both the police and Adrian on speed dial. I could call for help if things went wrong; at the push of a button.

Yes, it's that simple.

Adrian had given me a languid kiss before we parted ways at the park, he'd told me that he would be close by because he couldn't stand the thought of being far away if I needed to call for help. He was stubborn that way. My lips still tingled from the dizzying kiss that he'd planted, every part of my body insisted that I turn back but hey, I was stubborn too.

I knocked on the door. Planning out my strategy inside of my head.

Lilah opened the door, she was wearing a casual grey t-shirt and jeans, and listening to music on her iPod. She pulled the earphones out of her ears and gave me a strange smile. "Sydney?" I fabricated a smile as sweet as possible, "Hey, Lilah! Mind if I come in?" I asked. She thought about this, but then simply shrugged and left the door open for me, sauntering back into her home. "Not to sound rude or anything, but I don't remember giving you my address." She wondered aloud. I took a deep breath, hoping that she couldn't hear my heart thumping loudly inside my chest out of extreme nervousness.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry for barging in like this. I hope it's not a bad time. I got your address from my friend Clarence Donohue, I had no idea you worked for him. That's pretty cool." I mumbled, keeping up the calm and composed facade. She straightened at this as she led me into her living room. I stood still as a statue until she gestured for me to sit. I could tell she was feeling a little confused. "Yes, I do work for him..." her tone was dubious. "You didn't mention it when we met," I pointed out, trying not to squirm under her gaze; I managed to glance around the house. It was spacious and quite neat, actually. It certainly didn't look like the house of a murderer, on the other hand, Lilah didn't look like one herself. It didn't change the truth. "Yeah, it must have slipped my mind," she sighed, finally giving up on the cold shoulder act. "Why are you here, Sydney? Do you... Are you looking for something?"

I shook my head no. "I just thought we could bond. Clarence Donohue's a very good man, you know. I thought that, you being his secretary, must care for him deeply. There's very few people the man trusts." Lilah was eyeing me again, an unreadable expression on her face. "He never has mentioned you." I frowned innocently, "Of course he has. You even sent me a message from a blocked number with his address details. It's funny, really, because at first I thought that maybe he just likes to keep things private, and that's why you had the number blocked but... That wasn't the reason, was it, Lilah? Or is it Sheila? I'm sorry, I'm just a little confused. Which one are you going by these days? The name on your birth certificate or the name of the girl you killed?"

I knew how many risks I was taking here, confronting her like that. The plan that I'd just come up with was a little bit different from the one I'd discussed with Adrian. But seeing her here like this, looking so casual and pampered, it made my blood boil. She didn't deserve it. Instantly, Lilah began to stand, her face pale. "I don't know what you're talking about," she was backing away now. I stood up, as well. "Eh!" I made a buzzer-like sound, "Wrong answer. Try again."

She continued to back away, a scowl appearing on her face, "You don't want to mess with me, Sydney. You don't know what you're getting yourself into." Her voice was dripping with menace. She backed herself right into a vase of flowers on the cupboard behind her and it fell to the ground, shattering into a million tiny pieces. She winced. I took a step towards her. "See, Lilah, there are two ways this conversation could go. The first way is that you could confess; turn yourself in and maybe we could work out a strategy for you to get minimum jail time, I'd even recommend you a good lawyer. Now, the second option isn't as nice," I said, pulling out my stun gun and waving it at her.

She blanched. "You don't understand." I sighed, "Then why don't you explain and make this easier on the both of us?" She rubbed her palms over her face. "You... You're right, I've done things I am not proud of but I did not kill Lee. I... I loved him. Even after he went ahead and broke my heart!" She explained. I shook my head, unable to believe how good she was at feeding people lies. "You led me to Mark on purpose, that day at Shaggy's Seafood Shack. You knew, didn't you? All along. You must have found out from Clarence Donohue, the final straw was when he asked you to schedule a meeting with us." I went on, her expression was pained, but she didn't disagree. I shook my head in utter disbelief, "It's disgusting. You were working for the man whose son you murdered in cold blood. I don't know how you live with yourself. Now, the question is... Why did you do it? Was it some kind of revenge because he cheated on you? Did you decide that if he couldn't be with you, that you wouldn't let him be with anybody?" She was quiet for a minute, her back was pressed up against the cupboard.

"I didn't kill him you stupid bitch!" She cried out, furiously. "And god, I wanted to! I really, _really_ wanted to. I wished the worst torture in the seven hells for that bastard! But no, I did NOT kill him! You're getting it all wrong." I shook my head at her in disgust, adrenaline replacing my earlier anxiety. "How did you do it, huh? How did you kill him? What did you use? A baseball bat? A hockey stick? His skull was beaten in. It's exactly the same way the real Sheila Donovan was killed, head trauma, face beaten to a pulp. And what was with the music, huh? Do you think that taking someone's like is a joke?" My pitch had become dangerously high as I finished my sentence, my palms were bawled into fists and my voice was bursting with vehemence.

"Fine!" She exclaimed, "I killed Sheila. The bitch had it coming. And to be honest, so did Lee Donohue! I hate to sound like a broken record but for the millionth time, I didn't kill him!" She cried. I didn't believe it. Not for one second. I inched a little closer and she whimpered, I took a step back in surprise at her next words: "I can prove it."

I took a deep breath, debating whether or not to listen to her. I thought about the voice recorder that was still turned on inside of my purse and I nodded. Even in the unlikely odds that Lilah did not actually kill Lee, I had the feeling that she would know who did. "Alright," I replied, still flashing my stun gun at her. "Prove it."

Lilah heaved a sigh of relief. "I'll go get it. I'm not lying, okay? It's in my bedroom." She started to walk towards her bedroom and I followed, she turned on her heel. "What are you doing?" I scoffed, "You really don't think I'm going to let you out of my sight, do you?" She shrugged and continued to walk into her bedroom with me right on her tail. Now, I could feel my cell phone vibrating inside of my purse. Someone was calling me. I didn't pick up, I was so close to getting to the bottom of all this. Lilah was going down, she was a murderer and she was not going to escape this time. She stopped by her cupboard, I closed the gap between us and held my stun gun at her back. "Try anything and this is what will happen." Lilah froze for a second, looking extremely afraid. "Do you want to know the truth, Sydney?" Her voice was painful, sad, even, and coming out in a soft whisper. I nodded slowly, "Yes."

And then she turned the tables on me. She twirled around so swiftly I barely had the time to press the button on the stun gun, she grabbed it from me and jabbed it in my stomach. I screamed as I fell to the ground and my vision blurred a little. All my nerves were going crazy and my entire body ached, it felt like liquid poison was burning my intestines and making its way up my throat. The burning sensation was almost blinding. "You are an idiot." She announced, before pulling out a gun from her cupboard. She stroked it lovingly, when the pain abated a little, I noticed that this was the same gun from last night, in all my panic for Adrian; I'd been stupid and had left it inside of Lee's house. It probably had her fingerprints on it, if only I'd used my brain maybe I could have nipped it in the bud much earlier. I squeezed my eyes shut, kicking and punching the air, the stun gun was quite effective in frying half of my internal organs. I waited for impact but... nothing.

For some reason, she wasn't shooting. She wasn't even aiming the gun at me. Then she crouched down and stunned me again, in the same place. I remember feeling absolutely helpless before I blacked out completely.

When I opened my eyes, I was tied to the edge of Lilah's bed. She wasn't in the room. Both she and her gun were gone. Then I could hear her, talking in a hushed voice to somebody on the phone outside in the living room. My stun gun was atop the bed, where I couldn't reach it; at least not tied up like this. My entire body was still shuddering from the impromptu shock therapy that I'd received, my wrists burned under the tight ropes, as did my ankles. Evening light streamed through one of the windows. How long had I been out?

My purse was still vibrating. I realized that it was very close to my hands, if only I could zip it open and grab my phone... Lilah walked in, looking extremely calm. "Oh, you're up. That's quicker than I thought. Strong little girl, aren't you?" She muttered fanatically, a psychotic twinkle in her eyes. That's when I realized it, that despite her normal semblance; this woman was completely mad. I took a deep breath, trying to sound unfazed. It was difficult, but somehow, I managed. "I don't get it," I mused, "Why aren't you finishing me off?" She loured at me, her mouth twisting into an ugly smirk. "Oh, Sydney, I didn't want to kill you. I was simply showing it to you, it might have the fingerprints of the real killer." I gawked at her.

"If you wanted to prove your innocence to me, I'm not sure chaining me up to your bed and assaulting me would be the first call of action." I mumbled sarcastically.

She scoffed, "I have my reasons." Then she kneeled down so that she could look me in the eye. "What little gadgets are you keeping inside your little-" she got cut off abruptly when I headbutted her with as much force as I could conjure. She'd come a little too close, and I couldn't resist. It worked, she groaned, falling back and writhing in pain, holding her head.

I knew that I didn't have much time. Forty seconds maybe? A minute, if I was lucky. My own head was throbbing, but then again, so was the rest of my body, so I paid the pain no heat. I managed to zip my purse open, I sifted through it, feeling my way through stuff, which was hard to do when both my hands were tied; but I managed somehow anyway. I pulled out my phone. There were about ten missed calls from Adrian, I pressed his name on speed-dial. I leaned down, so that my ear could make contact with the phone. It took a lot of strain.

"Sydney!" His voice was extremely frantic. "Sydney it isn't Lilah. It's Foster! Foster from the bar! He got away, but I've called the police, they're going after him. WHERE ARE YOU?" My heart began to race and the butterflies inside my stomach were back, "Lilah. She's got me tied up inside her-Ahh!" I screamed as she snatched the phone out of my hand and tossed it at the wall. It made a sickening smacking noise as it fell to the floor.

As expected, Lilah was already back up on her feet. "That," she mumbled barbarically, "Was very rude!" I groaned, hoping that Adrian had gotten the message. "Lilah," my voice came out relatively calm; slightly floored. "He said you didn't do it. He said you didn't kill Lee."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you!" She barked.

"He said Foster... The bartender who you were talking to..."

She nodded her head, waving me off dismissively. She began to pace the expanse of the room. "Yes, yes. I never realized just how much he made it look like _I _was the one who'd done it until you talked to me today. I'm not surprised, though. He had all reason in the world to do it. Just feel betrayed." She had started to babble, even though I was in the room, I had the feeling she was talking to herself.

She didn't even make eye-contact. "I mean, of course! Clearly he was blinded by love and then Clarence had to go ahead and fire him. I understand why he did it. But crazy, crazy, _crazy_! Now I'm getting the brunt of it all! He's going to land me in jail, that boy. Ugh. When I first met him he seemed fine. Happy, like sunshine..." she went on, mumbling in hushed tones.

Some of her words struck a chord. "Blinded by love? Lilah, was he in love with you? Is that the reason Foster killed Lee?" I kept my tone as gentle as I could. Speaking to her like one did to a child. Her eyes finally met mine. "No, no," she laughed dryly. "He did it for the same reasons I did."

Suddenly, I figured it out. The puzzle that was the case of Lee Donohue's murder.

My eyes went wide. "He was in love. That's why he did it, but not with you. He was... He was in love with Lee. But... Of course, Lee didn't love him back so that angered him. He killed him and set it up to make it look like you were the one who did it. And that night... At Lee's home he was the one who attacked us. Wasn't he? He has the right build for it, he's strong, tall... Why didn't I ever see it?"

Lilah nodded her head, "He told me about his plan. I got mad at him. Ask me to kill anyone in the world and I'll do it - for the right price, but not Lee. I loved Lee. I tried to stop him, but it was already too late. We fought, you know," She pointed at a gash on her neck that I hadn't noticed before. It looked like a stab wound. "The pocket knife found at the scene of the crime," I murmured introspectively, "It was yours."

Again, she didn't deny it. "We fought each other when I saw what he'd done to my poor Lee. He was quite intelligent, actually. He beat him with a hammer, then cleaned off the prints using bleach and vinegar and threw it a mile away from my house, so that I was the one that looked guilty. The rest of the room looked untouched because he wore latex gloves."

"I don't understand. If you knew that he did the deed, why were you talking to him so casually? Why were you with Kylie that night, talking her up? She doesn't know, does she?" I asked.

Lilah sighed, looking wistful. "I'll admit I only became friends with Kylie out of spite, I wanted to see what that bitch had that I didn't, but we did become close. Hanging out with her is just something I do usually, and of course she doesn't know, I doubt she'd speak to me if she did. As for Foster, he blackmailed me, we struck a deal. He said that if I did what he told me to, he'd keep my secret and find someone else to frame."

"Your secret being your murder of Sheila Donovan?"

She nodded casually. "Yes, I don't know how he found out about it, guess he put a lot of thought into everything. He asked me to help him in the aftermath of everything, so we went to Lee's house the next day and spooked it up. He knew that I used to track Lee's phone messages and asked me to help him use all of that against Mark-his back-up victim."

"Where does Adrian fit into all this?"

"See, that's the thing, he never was supposed to. Foster was planning to cast the blame on Mark, that little weasel, it would have served him right-jail life. Anyway, it just happened that Lee came to visit Adrian at the wrong time, so Foster just followed him and killed him on raged impulse. We thought, hey, Adrian's the son of a rich asshole, he'll get out of it, in the meantime, let's work on casting the blame on Mark. So we stole stuff from his home, left him all kinds of cryptic messages, I had to come back to your hotel room just to steal the tapes again, we even tried to lead the two of you on into finding Mark guilty." She explained, and I just stared at her, flabbergasted with all this newfound information.

"But then the two of you didn't know your limits and where not to put your nose. You had to go on your little scavenger hunt! So Foster dug up information on you, teamed up with your partner, some Keith. He asked Foster to spike your drinks at the party and get the two of you so drunk that you end up sleeping together or something so that he could get rid of you both. He also promised that he'd keep our secret. So, well, two birds one stone."

I blanched. Mark was lying! He hadn't spiked our drinks after all, it had been Keith all along, sans Foster! I felt repulsed and creeped out all over again. Apparently, Keith truly was insane. He would make a deal with a killer, just to ruin my life and kick me off the case. What a cockroach. But then.. How did Mark know? "We met up with Mark when I found out he'd stolen Lee's ring," Lilah supplied, like she'd read my mind, she twirled her own identical ring around in her finger and grinned, "We told him about how we spiked your drinks and then, we threatened him. Foster tried again, to get the two of you off of the case, by telling Mark to-"

"Feed us all that rubbish about the game that plays us? I figured. What did you offer him?" I muttered, feeling sick. "Money. Loads of it." I groaned, shaking my head. We had been played like puppets for so long. Suddenly, fear began to rise up my chest. "Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Because I've got to kill you. See, I don't want to do it but you just keep doubling back, like a stupid bobo doll! And it's getting in my way. You know about Sheila and practically everything else that's keeping me from jail. So, you've gotta go." She said, shrugging nonchalantly.

I couldn't believe she could talk that way about murdering someone. "Lilah?" I said, "Yeah?" she leaned in. I spat on her face. She slapped me. I tried to wriggle my way out of the ropes once again, to no avail. Just when I thought this was going to be the end, I heard sirens. Police sirens. And someone was knocking vigorously on her front door. Luckily, she hadn't gagged me.

_Right on time. Lucky draw? Maybe._ I didn't want to stick around to find out.

Help. It was coming. _  
_  
"HELP!" I screamed, to the max of my voice's abilities.

Lilah squeaked, swiftly turning around to gawk at me. I flashed her a knowing smile. This pissed her off. And then, everything happened at once. The police bounded in, with Adrian in toe. Lilah turned around and grabbed my neck, placing the gun to my head. I screamed on instinct. Having a gun positioned at your head can do that to you.

"Put your guns down or I'll shoot!" She exclaimed.

I eyed Adrian. For a second, his face was extremely pale, but he regained his sensibilities admirably quick. He grabbed one of the guns from one of the three police officers now present in the room and pointed it at Lilah. "You shoot. I shoot."

"We haven't got the commands to-" one of the officer's started, but Adrian glared at him, his arms outstretched, a determined expression on his face, his gun aimed right at Lilah's chest. "Shut up."

For a few seconds, you could possibly hear a pin drop. Nobody spoke. Then one of the officers with Adrian mumbled, "Lower your weapon right now, ma'am." And then it all went to hell. Lilah dropped the gun, Adrian tossed the one he was holding back at the police officer he'd snatched it from and she began to run the other way. She was trying to jump out the window but she wasn't quick enough, all three of the police men charged at her, pulling her back as she fought against them.

Kill me, maybe. But she wasn't strong enough to resist the grip of three trained policemen. Adrian ran to my side, his forehead was glistening with sweat, he untied my hands first; then my legs. After that he pulled me into an extremely tight bear hug and kissed my forehead and face repeatedly. "God, you got me worried there for a second, Sage." I smiled slightly, I wanted to stay in his embrace forever, but wasn't there a killer still on the loose?

"Adrian! What about Foster?" I cried. He shook his head, stroking my hair and rubbing my back, "He's been dealt with." That meant I could finally take a breather. I cushioned my head against his chest, feeling it rise and fall strenuously as he panted; like he'd forgotten to breathe in the last few seconds. I listened carefully to his heartbeat, that was beginning to steady.

"Sir?" The voice of the police officer pulled me back to earth and hesitantly, I slipped out of his grip. We both stood up. I realized that there was only one officer in the room now, the other two were taking Lilah out. "Foster Blake still hasn't admitted to the crime and your hearing is-" I cut him off, instantly pulling out my recorder and placing it in his hand.

"All the proof you need that Lilah Lehane and Foster Blake are behind this murder."


	27. 26: You Call It Madness, I Call It Love

**A/N: New chapter! So I hope you guys like this, please review because it means so much to me, I read some of your reviews over and over again because they really make my day. Anyway, I'm glad that I didn't disappoint anyone, I was a little apprehensive of posting the last chapter because it was a huge twist and I wasn't sure if it was what you all expected. Also, to those of you who like my work, I am going to be posting the first chapter of my other Sydrian fanfiction after the last chapter of this one, so if you are interested, do stay tuned. :)**

**P.S I do not own today's title.**

**Credits: This is written purely for fun, rights to all things Bloodlines related go to Richelle Mead. I have no affiliation with the author whatsoever.**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

You Call It Madness, But I Call It Love

"We made it." I gasped.

The weight of the scenario hadn't loomed on me until yet, but now that it did, I was a little surprised - but it was a happy surprise. "I can almost taste the victory in the air!" Adrian declared boldly. I smiled, "Let's not get too excited. There are still... issues to deal with." We were back at Adrian's apartment after everything that had gone down. He wanted to celebrate, he was ordering take-out and buying himself (since I didn't drink) sparkling bottles of the finest champagne he could afford. I was happy and it felt... strange. After everything that had gone down, it felt... easier than I'd thought it would be.

Despite the fact that we'd unmasked the killer, there was still a chance that Foster could outsmart us, in such a case, Adrian would still have to appeal at court. And even if not... I had other things to worry about. What did I want to do with my life from now on? If I decided to keep the job, that meant that I would have to leave Adrian, I wasn't sure I was ready for that.

"Don't be such a pessimist, Sage. You're crazy plan worked, do you realize that? Don't you think you should cut yourself some slack for once?" He raised an eyebrow, opening the take-out boxes that we'd purchased from the Thai food restaurant downtown. "I do, I'm sorry." I mumbled, feeling genuinely guilty for ruining his jovial mood. All my issues could wait, I was simply going to let Adrian have this happy moment; god knows he didn't get many. But then I remembered something.

"Adrian..." My voice trailed off. "How did you know?" I asked. He looked up at me, eyes as innocent as a child's. "What?" I rolled my eyes. "Don't play coy. Seriously, tell me - you were calling me to tell me that Foster killed Lee. How did you know? What were you _really_ doing when I went after Lilah?" I had to ask. It was a question that had been haunting me eversince he had called, but only now was I getting the chance to truly contemplate it. I was afraid I wasn't going to like his answer. He looked away, head bent down. His eyes swivelled from one side to the other; like he was searching the air for answers.

"I need to know, Adrian." My voice was softer now.

He inhaled, then exhaled slowly, before meeting my eyes. His looked glassy and tired. "I couldn't resist, Sage. I tried to leave you alone with Lilah, I did, but I'm merely human and I was _worried_ something would happen to you - and admit it, something almost did." I nodded, watching him. He ran a hand through his hair. "So I followed you, once you were inside however, I saw Foster down the road, in his car. I recognized something just then... He was wearing that black hoodie, Sydney. The one from that night. Instantly, I knew something was up, so then I followed him instead." I gasped, I wanted to tell him that I was mad and shocked and disappointed in him for not trusting me. Unfortunately, he was right, and we both knew it. If it hadn't been for Adrian and the cops busting in at the nick of time, I would have been dead and Lilah and Foster would have gotten away with their sick schemes. "I wrote down his car number as I went after him. He was going to the bank and I don't even know why. Instantly, I called the police on him and then I tried you but you didn't pick up, which was when I knew that something was wrong," he went on. "So instead of sending the police after Foster, I asked them to come with me to Lilah's house."

I felt my eyes widen and my heartbeat rise. "You... You said the police took care of Foster!" I exclaimed. He bit his lip, wincing a little like he'd been pinched. "Technically, they have. The entire Palm Springs force is on his tail. They'll catch him soon enough, Sage. You were my number one priority at the time." I glared at him. I wanted to be mad, I really did. So why wasn't I angry? "That was... reckless, and - and stupid! You let a killer on the loose for me!" Adrian smiled just a little, "I know, not exactly the big, heroic gesture I usually go for when trying to woe women; but it was my first instinct. No - it was my _only_ instinct. You were in danger, everything else be damned. That was all that was on my mind. I know I let you down, but I won't apologise for saving your life."

And just like that... I lost all the rage that was fighting its way up my chest.

He had his heart in the right place, the police would catch Foster Blake sooner or later, everything... everything turned out okay. I gave Adrian a quick kiss on his temple and took a deep breath.

I'd just have to ignore the ominous sense of dread creeping up my spine.

One look at me however, and Adrian rolled his eyes, like he could see through me as usual. He shot off the couch and sat back down again, positioning himself behind me this time. I felt him gently pick up my hair and brush them to the other side of my neck; then he began to rub his fingers in tingling little circles up and down the skin there. He started from the nape of my neck and then dragged his fingers downwards. A little sigh escaped my mouth, it felt good. Very good. The second his fingers had made contact with my skin, my mind had been seized of all conscious thought. My throat constricted, and the butterflies had now apparently called their Facebook friends to join them in a flash mob, because I could not feel anything anymore but the whirling sensation in my stomach and his fingers on my skin.

"What are you doing?" I managed to mumble. "Ridding you of tension so that you'll stop worrying for once," Adrian offered. I repressed a scoff, "I was born worried." I couldn't see his face, but somehow, I could bet he was smiling. "I've never had anyone massage me before." I admitted. He chuckled at that softly, "I'm not surprised. You'd probably force the poor masseuse to wash and sanitize their hands before they were allowed to touch you." I gasped, "I would not!"

After that, I just lost myself in the pleasure and comfort. It felt strangely calming, and I really did feel slightly better than I had earlier, even if I knew somewhere in the back of my mind that my worries hadn't evaporated, they'd just been temporarily suppressed. When he finally spoke again, his tone was different. More intense. "In all seriousness Sage," he began. "Thank you. You may not believe it, but this means so much to me. You... I'm just not sure I would've been able to do this without your help." I couldn't help it, I gently turned around and placed a hand on his cheek. Two seconds later, we were kissing again.

This kiss was both the perfect kind of soft and the perfect kind of hard as Adrian buried his fingers in my hair, tilting my head back and feasting on my lips. He groaned a little when I opened my mouth to let him in and the vibration set me on fire. I moaned, wrapping my arms around his neck and sliding my fingers through his soft hair. His mouth devoured mine, his tongue wrecked havoc on my mind and body - almost enough to make me forget everything except for the feelings I got when he held me and the way it felt like to have my body respond to his so effortlessly that I felt like I was practically attuned to him. I wasn't aware of much, but when I opened my eyes only briefly to meet his, I noticed that the lights were off.

"The lights are out." I muttered between frantic kisses. "I don't care." He mumbled back, trailing kisses across my jaw and down my neck before returning to my lips.

We both groaned, the kiss deepening as he ate at my mouth hungrily. His palms moved down to my hips, and I nearly went over the edge with desire. Just as I was about to run out of breath, his lips broke away from mine to blaze a hot trail down the side of my neck. I felt weak and a tad dizzy as his teeth scraped across the sensitive flesh behind my ear.

"Okay, okay." I said breathlessly, somehow summoning the strength to push him away. "We should check out why all the lights are out. Does... does that happen often?" I had to ask. Adrian leaned back, his lips looking slightly bruised from all the kissing, I felt something strange swell up in my chest when I realized that I was the reason his lips looked that way. I couldn't see anything else though, there was just enough moonlight seeping through from the window that I could see his face, but the rest of the room was enveloped in darkness.

"They never do. Although, it's kind of romantic if you ask me, kind of like the gods _want_ us to be together. The two of us alone in my apartment in the darkness..." His voice was still hoarse. "Yeah. I have plenty of ideas of what we could do." I chuckled slightly, but my curiosity got the best of me. I stood up, looking around, "I'll go fetch some candles. Can you check the fuse box?" Adrian nodded reluctantly, but obeyed and sauntered past me.

I ventured over to the kitchen, feeling the objects around me so that I could navigate my way through the blackness. Slowly, my eyes adjusted as I walked into the kitchen and opened a drawer to fetch a matchbox. There were none, but I did find a lighter. I opened the cupboards and began to sift through them for candles. I found them about a minute later; and just as I was about to light the first one I heard a strange noise.

It was like a thud. Like someone had banged into something. "Adrian?" I called out. The response came almost instantly, "Yeah, hold on a second! God, I so wish I had night vision goggles right now."

But if Adrian was right there then...

I squealed, grabbing hold of the first thing I could find - a steel spatula. Where were the knives when you needed them? I held it up and began to take small, silent steps away from the kitchen, backing away from it. I could see it now. It was merely a shadow; a silhouette clad in black. Suddenly, I had a terrible sense of déjà vu, a flashback from the last time we'd been attacked at Lee's house gripping me.

No. I wasn't going to play the victim again.

Before I could form a coherent thought, the shadow pounced on me, twisting me around and grabbing hold of my neck. I struggled against his hold, but his gloved hand now covered my mouth and I couldn't even scream. He snatched the spatula out of my hand and tossed it away. Suddenly, I felt something cool like steel against my skin and a shudder went through my entire body as I realized that it was a knife.

I heard footsteps coming towards us now. _Oh, no_. Adrian.

"The fuse box is out. Someone's been tampering with - Sydney? Where are you?" I managed a muffled scream. Within seconds, Adrian was rushing towards the kitchen, he skid to a stop. "Don't even try it, Lover Boy. One move and I'll kill your girl." He wasn't even attempting to veil his voice. It was the same voice that had seemingly greeted us so kindly back at the shack, It was Foster Blake. How though? Had he escaped? _He was never in police custody, _I realized_. _They must not have caught him yet but... how did he end up inside of Adrian's apartment?

Adrian was still as a statue. "That's right," Foster blabbed, tightening his grasp on my neck, I didn't even bother to wriggle anymore, every nerve inside my body was frozen in fear. "Stay right where you are and nobody gets hurt. We'll do this the easy way." I was shivering with fright, I wanted to scream at Adrian and tell him to do as Foster told; but I could tell he was already bawling his fists, warring in his mind about what his next move should be.

So I made the decision for him.

"He - He won't do anything. J... Just let me go, please." I was aware my voice sounded desperate and contrived; but that was exactly what I was aiming for. Adrian stood amongst the shadows, so I couldn't even read the emotions on his face, but his hands flew up in surrender as he backed away. Foster laughed fanatically, "Good. Keep going. That's it." With the knife still at my throat, he dragged me with him into the living room and then sat me down on the chair. From his one free hand, he dug around in the small bag he was carrying and pulled out a needle. I screeched as he stuck it in my right arm. He was sedating me! Then he did something worse. _Oh no._ I thought. _Not more rope.  
_  
He let his guard down for about one second, he lowered the knife so that he could tie the rope around me but it was one second too late. Adrian grabbed a lamp from the table stand nearby and slammed it against Foster's head. Whatever the needle had been laced with - it was beginning to show effect. My eyesight got a bit blurry, but between black outs I could see an entire fight breaking out in front of me. Foster had recovered from his injury and was getting a few punches in on Adrian. I winced as Foster punched him hard in the gut. Adrian, despite not having much training when it came to combat, was holding his ground. He was smart and fast. He even managed to injure Foster. Just as Adrian was about to get in a punch, I saw Foster trip him over and turn the tables on him and...

That was the last thing I saw. The sedation took effect and then there was nothing but the dark.

xxxxx

"Oh, good, good. You're awake. I'm sorry about the sedative but your boyfriend was being so overly protective of you, I had to assure my safety, you know. You should keep him on a leash next time, just in case." My mouth tasted like blood and metal as I turned my head to glance at Adrian. He was tied to another chair, right next to me yet out of my reach. He looked... he looked terrible.

His eyes had rolled back into his head, his face was thick with purple bruises. There was a nasty looking gash right above his left eyebrow and his head was tilted at a grotesque angle. His hands and feet had been expertly tied so that he couldn't move. I would've thought he was dead, but the steady rise and fall of his chest told me otherwise. My heart leapt into my throat.

Hot, prickly tears began to run down my face before I knew it; burning my cheeks. "What did you do to him? You monster!" I exclaimed. Foster just sighed, shaking his head rather nonchalantly. "Nothing that I'm not going to do to you. It was so, very sad that you had to give me away to the cops. I quite liked you two. I didn't want to have to kill you, but I guess I don't have a choice now."

I glared at him. "You're nuts. Y-You and Lilah, both of you. You're insane!" He laughed dryly. "Aren't we all? You and I, we're the same, Sydney Sage. I had no idea until I actually broke into your boyfriend's house that the two of you were involved. You're both weak. Slaves to your passions. You're in love. Just like I was." He got a crazy, wistful glint in his eyes. "Now, I won't lie. I can sympathize with that to some extent. The two of you made it. Against all odds. Congratulations to the both of you, really. That's something to be proud of." I couldn't help but feel a little sick as he began to clap dramatically.

"So when did you fall for each other, huh?" Foster got dangerously close to my face. His breath smelt sour and disgusting, his blue eyes looked wild. I could tell he was a bit mental. "Just between us girls. What was your plan? Running away together? Building a future together? Uh, doesn't matter now, I guess. Since you don't really have a future anymore." He blabbered on, waving his hands dismissively.

"You wouldn't understand love if it was staring you right in the face! You don't know the first thing about it. You said you loved Lee? I just think you were a mad, desperate, obsessive, sadistic moron!" I spat. I knew that this man had the capability to finish me off within a second, but my anger got the best of me. Foster looked pissed at that. "I DID love him! Shut up! Shut up! Shut your bloody trap! You know nothing! Our love was forever. We were meant to be together, you hear me? He just wouldn't co-operate, wouldn't listen. Everything I did, I did it because I loved him!" I scoffed, my voice relentless. "Killing in the name of love? That's just a pathetic excuse that you use to make yourself feel better about the psychotic things you do!" I cried. Suddenly, an idea began to dawn over me.

"Why did you do it, huh? What did he do that was so horrible that you had to kill him?"  
"I had my reasons!" He gritted his teeth.  
"And how did you get into Adrian's apartment?"  
"I've broken into a hotel, an apartment is child's play."  
"What about Lilah?"  
"What about her?"  
"You had Lilah do all your dirty work because she was just as much in love with him as you were. Am I right? She was your first target, but when things began to get to rough, you decided you needed another person to take the fall for you. Enter Mark. You've been setting them all up since the start of this whole charade!" He shrugged, "Maybe. What's it to you?"

"It's all just a little flimsy. Don't you think? I mean despite all your efforts you got outsmarted by two teenagers. Maybe you aren't as good a murderer as you think you are." I went on. Foster flinched at this, looking seriously offended. "I'll show you just how good I am! They'll be looking for your bodies for days, months, years! I promise you. Now," He stomped over to me and placed the knife at my throat once more, "Any last words?"

"Yeah," I mumbled, "Your pants are on fire."

I still had my lighter, and Foster had been stupid enough to tie my hands on my lap instead of behind my back, when he'd leaned into me with the knife, I'd managed to burn his pants. Denim took about five seconds to burst into flames and just as predicted - he screamed, jumping up and down as the flame intensified, tearing through the fabric of his jeans and making its way up his thigh. Immediately, I burnt the ropes on my wrists, being careful as to not burn my skin in the hurry.

Instantly, the sprinklers on the ceiling in the living room reacted to the heat and spewed water onto us, dousing his flaming jeans. He was still laughing; he looked berserk. He charged at me, and we grappled for a minute; he was stronger and larger, so it was hard fighting against him, but I had my strengths too. I was faster, I weighed less, and I had sharp teeth and nails. I bit into the side of his arm and he backed away in pain. Two seconds later, he grabbed me again, but I managed a blow at his head and then kicked him with as much force as my throbbing feet could conjure - right under his left thigh; his foot wasn't on fire anymore, but the skin there ought to be stinging in pain due to the burns. He doubled back in shock, so quickly that there was absolutely nothing I could do as his head slammed against the wall behind him - hard.

There was a cracking sound. Like a bone breaking. And that was it. I ran to Foster; who was now limp. I coughed back a sob as I realized that there was no pulse.

Foster Blake was dead.


	28. 28: The Center Will Hold

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

The Center Will Hold

xxxx

"It was self defense," my voice was emotionless. "I didn't mean for it to happen."

"Can you elaborate some more, Miss Sage? What did Foster Blake do, exactly?" The police officer who sat in front of me asked. "He attacked me. I fought back. His head hit the wall a little too hard; death was on impact, probably. I'm not sure." I still sounded toneless. I wasn't sure whether I cared. Somehow, I had managed to get into the police car and to the police station. They were holding me back for questioning. Adrian had been sent to the hospital on an ambulance.

Adrian was on an ambulance.

Adrian was on an ambulance and I was sitting here, at some somber police station, responding to a bunch of weightless questions. I'd argued with the police; I had told them that I wanted to go with Adrian. They didn't listen. I couldn't feel anything. Not really. My head felt heavy, my eyes were blinking too much, I could barely register the police officer's face except for the fact that she wore some cheap, bright red lipstick. Whenever she stopped talking, I could hear my heart beating inside my chest. Foster Blake's heart wasn't beating anymore. I killed him...

No. It was self defense. He had it coming. I didn't even push him that hard. His head hit the wall. He died on impact. There wasn't anything that I could've done.

"And Adrian Ivashkov bared witness to this?"  
"Yes."  
"And you are his lawyer; he was initially charged for the Lee Donohue murder."  
"Yes."

"Is that all you have to say for yourself, Miss Sage?"  
"Adrian Ivashkov is innocent."  
"We know this. We have received proof that Foster Blake was, indeed, the one behind the Donohue murder." Of course they did; my recording. And apparently, Mark had come to some use by admitting to know about this. There were a few more questions, but I was finally done. I walked out of the police station; still feeling absolutely numb. Foster Blake's death had been declared a justifiable homicide; since there was sufficient evidence to prove that he intended violence. The officer told me that the incident was blameless. I stared at the ground as I made my way towards Latte. It looked slightly damp; it might have rained. My footsteps sounded very loud, so I tried to take quieter steps.

My next stop was the hospital. I still couldn't feel much as I made my way to where they were keeping Adrian until I saw Nathan Ivashkov standing over his son in the room. I gasped and then decided to stay where I was. I couldn't give anything away. Two minutes later, I hid behind a wall as he walked past me, unaware of my presence. I snuck in as soon as he was gone.

I gawked as I caught my first good look at Adrian. I'd spoken to the nurse, and she assured me that he was going to be okay. His bruises were luckily not as deep as they looked; he had a broken arm, and there was some damage to his head - there was a chance of a concussion or two but nothing that wouldn't heal within a month's time. He was strictly on bed rest and cleared of any charges. He didn't even need a trial anymore; not for a case that had been closed.

I knew that I should feel relieved. But seeing him like this... it broke my heart. My gut twisted and a pang of utter despair erupted inside my chest. His head had been bandaged, all his wounds were treated but he looked terrible, beaten up - which he was. There were circles under his eyes, it seemed like all the colour had left his cheeks, his breathing was steady but labored. His hair was a mess of curls, and not in the good way. Even his lips looked sore. I had to look away.

Adrian Ivashkov. My beautiful Adrian... and he'd been reduced to this. He had risked his own life to save mine. It was my fault. Was this the cost of our love? If that was the truth, it was too high a price to pay. Maybe I shouldn't have gone running back to him. Maybe I should have parted ways with him. Maybe we could have met again when we were better for each other. Because... because I wasn't ready to lose him. Not now. Not ever. Even if we weren't together all the time, at least I would know that he was safe and healthy and alive... This... I couldn't. My mouth tasted metallic. I didn't realize I was crying until I could taste the salt water running down my cheeks and seeping into my mouth. I took a cautious step towards him, looking out the small window through the door to make sure nobody was looking in.

When I felt like it was safe, I sat down next to him and ran one hand through his hair, my other hand held onto his limp one. Even though he was unconscious... his hand still _felt_ like his hand. It was warm, soft. It felt just like it always had. I ran my thumb against his knuckles before leaning in to kiss his forehead.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled. "I'm sorry that you had to meet me, that we had to fall in love. Bad things always seem to happen when we're happy..." A minute passed and I was about to get up; to go leave, when Adrian grabbed my hand gently. I choked back a sob as his eyes fluttered open.

"Don't say that," his voice was soft. "To get those brief, happy seconds with you, all the pain in the world is worth it." I couldn't help but smile a little at that, I sat back down. "Not at the cost of your life, Adrian. You... You almost died today." He nodded slowly, wincing slightly. "But evidently I didn't."

"That is not relevant." I stated. "But it's gotta mean something, right?"

"I don't know if that's enough." He tried to sit up, pushing himself up with his palms. I helped him. "It's always enough, Sage. Admit it, you can't resist me when I'm covered in these sexy wounds." I chuckled slightly. "I doubt you feel very sexy." He didn't respond for a second, then his hand's grip on my own tightened. "I do feel pretty cool, though. Like a superhero." I rolled my eyes. "You aren't exactly a fighter," I said. "You got lucky." Adrian thought about this, "Fortune favors the brave."

I didn't say anything for a little while until he spoke up again. "So tell me, am I still Palm Springs' most wanted?" I shook my head no. "They arrested Lilah Lehane, and Foster Blake was proved the murderer." Adrian's expression faltered at the mention of that name.

"What happened to him?"

I decided there was no point in lying to him. The truth was the only way to go. "He - died. It was an accident; nobody's fault." My voice was flat. For the next minute, Adrian was quiet; hesitant. He seemed lost in thought, and I wasn't sure what he was thinking about. "You don't sound like you believe the words coming out of your mouth." He pointed out. I scoffed. It was unbelievable that even in this thrashed condition, he could still see right through me.

"Maybe it wasn't my fault. Maybe it was. The fact of the matter remains that it happened. He isn't breathing anymore, he's gone. Yes, he was a murderer, sure - he deserved punishment but... he probably has a family out there, _someone_ out there. People who are going to grieve his death. A mother, maybe a wife. Who knows. And to be a part of that... to be a part of the last seconds of someone's life... I just..." my voice cracked and another tear spilled out of my eye. I didn't want to sit here complaining about my own feelings when he had just escaped death himself, and I knew it was selfish... but I couldn't help myself. The words had been out of my mouth before I could subdue them.

Adrian looked sympathetic. "It's natural to feel that way. It's not every day that you've got to fight someone to the death. What's to keep in mind is, Sage, that you were resilient and you were brilliant and that you're alive. We made it." I breathed a small sigh of relief - realizing for the first time that he was right. Despite everything, we really had proved stronger than we thought we were. Our chances had been as slim as a pack of cards in a storm. Still, we were here and together, well, sort of. I nodded, looking into his hypnotic green eyes, the one part of him that showed no sign of all the horrible events of the hours before. "I can barely look at you right now. I feel like every scar on your face is my fault. How... How am I supposed to get past that?" I questioned, because despite our victory, I felt like we had lost in some way.

"I'd do it again. Ten times over if I had to, Sage. And I didn't do it for you, I did it for myself. Because I... I wasn't going to stand there and let you get hurt." He said. I sucked in a breath, feeling a heavy tightening in my throat.

"If you ever need a kidney, I've got one with your name on it. No questions asked."

It was a joke, but I was pretty sure I meant it. For once, Adrian didn't laugh at my flimsy attempt at humor. "I'll put you first over and over when I have to," he added, absolutely serious. "Always."

I sighed, my heart crumbling. "Say you are right, Adrian. Say I put this behind me... Then what?" I asked. He arched an eyebrow. "You don't, that's the trick. You don't shy away from all that's happened, you just carry it with you. Everyday. Everyone's got baggage, Sage, yours is a little heavier than the others, but don't think for one second that this means nobody is here to share the load with you." I took a deep breath, then leaned in and gave him a light kiss on the lips. His tasted like blood and mints, but they were still his wonderful, warm lips. "I know," I squeaked. "Tomorrow is a new day, right?" He stated cheerfully. "And it's tomorrow that I'm worried about." I replied, almost instantly.

"What's tomorrow?"

"That's exactly what I don't know. Up until now, I've had a road map in the form of this case. Things to do every minute. Tomorrow the stuff of everyday living resumes." Adrian sighed, rubbing his fingers against mine. It was a small gesture, but my body was already quivering with sensation. "True. You just have to get through it, go by it one day at a time. Do that, until one day it's not as hard anymore." I smiled again. "Has hell frozen over or are you actually quite insightful today?" I earned a full-fledged grin at that. "Now that we have mastered the sober part of this conversation, why don't you get us a drink?" I shook my head no faintly. "No drinks for you, not now." He groaned petulantly, "Fine."

"Adrian," I said, about five minutes later. I was snuggled into his chest, and he had his arm wrapped around me. He was solid and he still smelt like that intoxicating perfume he always wore. "Yeah?" He spoke softly. "I'm not ready for you to not be here." He sighed, "I know."

"I want our center to hold," I added. "It will," he whispered softly against my head, pressing a kiss there. "It will." he repeated.

xxxxx

Four days later and I was still feeling like there was a gun pointed at my head.

I was sitting at the hotel, staring out the window - it was my last day in Palm Springs. The case had been closed, it turned out that I didn't even do my job, well, I did do it, but not in the way a lawyer is expected to do it. My father wanted me home immediately, Donna Stanton said she was proud of my bravery in the face of danger; but she sounded hesitant on the phone, like she was dreading to tell me something that she couldn't. Then my phone started to ring, my heart leapt into my throat as I recognized the caller.

Keith Darnell.

With shivering hands, I picked up the phone. "Hello?" The voice on the other end sounded calm, too impassive to be believable, "I'm going to jail today." I bit my lip, silently praying my voice wouldn't sound as unhinged as I felt. "You got what you deserved." He laughed, it was a creepy, stale laugh. "Yeah, but you didn't. Did you?" Every nerve in my body tensed up. "What does that mean?" He scoffed, "Nothing. I guess you're right, I shouldn't have consorted with the enemy. I just couldn't resist putting little miss Sydney Sage in her place." At this, I actually felt a little pulsed, but I managed to keep my tone neutral. "Why are you calling me?"

"Just to congratulate you on a job well done. I'll see you in hell, Sydney Sage."

Before I could respond to that strange comment, the line went dead. I sighed, leaning back into my chair and turning to look out the window again. I had to keep telling myself that outing Keith was the right thing to do. It didn't make me a hypocrite, did it? After all, I wasn't exactly sleeping with the enemy. Just to get some spiteful revenge, he ruined his career by going ahead and helping a murderer. That deserved punishment. So why did I suddenly feel so extremely guilty?

The way he spoke. A chill raced down my spine. He couldn't have known, could he have? He would have busted me within seconds if he knew about me and Adrian. Unless he was waiting for the right moment... or maybe he thought he didn't need to do anything, maybe he thought we would self-destruct. _No_. I thought. _That was not going to happen.  
_  
I didn't think I was ready to leave Palm Springs. I thought about Adrian. I thought about those things about him that I knew best. His annoying habit of making everything he said sound cocky. The beautiful brown hair that he tried so hard to style as precisely as possible every morning in order to make it look messy. That mocking glint in his eyes that always makes me think he's laughing at me. His smirk, and that rare; boyish grin. Those mystical green eyes and that slightly crooked nose. The scent of his invigorating perfume combined with the smell of clove and cigarette smoke that's irrevocable and attractive and just... Adrian. The way he wrapped me in his arms, held me tight and close, lending me strength. His hands... strong, large, slightly calloused yet... delicate somehow. The hands of an artist. The way he looked when he was sprawled out on maroon sheets, all salty goodness and naked glistening muscle wrapped in pale skin...

I blinked.

Okay, I'm probably going too far with the Adrian induced thoughts.

Still, leaving all of that behind, it didn't seem right or fair. I felt like even if I did walk away today and resume daily life, a part of me would always be trapped here in Palm Springs. With him. And it was a part of me that I never wanted back.

I almost jumped out of my own skin when there was a knock at my door. I knew who it was, of course. The hotel would have called for my permission if the visitor was someone else. I was still reeling from the past few weeks and still felt quite jumpy. It was obviously Jill. I hadn't spoken to Jill since before we found out who the killer was, I wanted to speak to her, but I kept chickening out for some reason. I wasn't sure if I could look her in the eye now. Still, Jill would understand. She always did. She was one of the nicest people I knew. I walked over to the door and opened it; my jaw dropped open.

As I'd expected, Jill stood in front of me but behind her stood Nathan Ivashkov.

Jill's expression was extremely sheepish. I could tell she didn't bring him here on purpose. I gulped, trying to remain as calm and composed as possible. Eversince the hospital where I had dodged him; Adrian's father hadn't approached me. Not until now, anyway.

"I apologize for barging in on you like this. I sincerely hope that this isn't a waste of time." Mr. Ivashkov said briskly. I bit my tongue, he was just as vain and intimidating as he always was. Jill licked her lips, "What he is trying to say is... We um... We hope that this isn't a bad time." Her voice was frantic as well, but there was a politeness to it. I smiled tightly. "Of course not. Please, come in." I pushed the door wide open and took a step back so that the two of them could settle themselves in. As Mr. Ivashkov walked in, the smell of attar and the dry cleaning detergent wafted through. I shut the door behind me and stood in the middle of the room, too anxious to sit down. Jill sat down on the edge of my bed, Mr. Ivashkov sat on the sole chair in the tiny hotel room. I was glad that I had cleaned up in here right before they had arrived. I tried not to grit my teeth as I pretended to be the picture of finesse in front of Ivashkov Senior.

I was ready for whatever he would throw at me, I decided. He did not know about my involvement with his son. The most that he could do was condemn me; maybe my superiors were upset. Donna Stanton surely didn't sound too pleased on the phone. I bit into the inside of my left cheek so hard I almost drew blood, bracing myself for whatever was to come. To my surprise however, instead of insulting me at a job poorly done, Mr. Ivashkov broke into a grin. Or what looked like a grin anyway. The left corner of his mouth upturned. He looked strange, like he'd just gotten some bad Botox done.

"I personally wanted to come commend you on a job splendidly done. You will receive your payment in full." He explained.

I tried to veil my astonishment to the best of my abilities, but I couldn't help but question him. "I am honored, sir - but I did not get the chance to appeal for the client at court. So... how exactly did I do my job well?" He waved my question off, nodding vigorously like he expected me to say this. I'd figured Mr. Nathan Ivashkov for a very impassive man; so it looked quite ridiculous, watching him move his neck like that.

"I am aware of that, and I'm afraid your superiors were not quite as delighted as I was, not to worry though, I made sure that you get to complete your semester at UCLA and I will recommend your admirable skill and expertise to my colleagues. My recommendation will land you only the best of cases, you will be a world renowned lawyer in no time." My stomach churned. What was he going on about? I could understand Donna being unhappy with the outcome, I never got to prove my polish, but the rest... It was all too much to take. For some reason, Nathan Ivashkov was happy with me and even got me the one thing I wanted most. The one thing that I had been preparing for since I knew how to walk... Or at least, the one thing I thought I wanted most. He was giving me the chance to be a full fledged lawyer, and wasn't that really why I took up this case in the first place? I should be grateful, I should be happy. Why wasn't I happy?

That's when I realized the harsh truth. I wasn't sure I wanted to do it; fulfill my father's dream.

Sure, I loved it, being a lawyer was not the worst job in the world, but somehow, it felt tainted, wrong, even; to take Mr. Ivashkov up on this. To even be a part of something my father practically coaxed me into. There were other things I wanted to do and see. There were other streams that I could scope out; and then there was Adrian...

"I don't understand, sir." I spoke quietly. I met Jill's eyes; she looked dejected, although I had no idea why. I wanted to be able to speak to her openly, but I knew that wasn't really an option with him around. Suddenly, my eyes went wide. Alarmed; I realized that Nathan must have found out Jill was visiting me. That could not have ended on a pleasant note.

The corner's of his mouth twitched again, this time to form a leer. _That's more like it_, I thought. "You may not have gotten to appeal at court, but you did more than do your job. You found out who the killer was and got my son just the thing he needed to be acceptable in media again; pity. My mailbox and company alike are being showered with get well soon cards, muffin baskets, flowers and whatnot thanks to you. Adrian getting beaten up may be a dismal thing, but it got us just the right publicity and our stocks are higher than ever. Not only did you manage to get the blame off of him; you managed to aid my company in soaring." He explained.

Suddenly, I felt sick. It's not like I meant for any of this to happen, maybe things did not go as planned - and maybe it was a good thing that Adrian and I didn't get caught but Nathan Ivashkov made me sick to my stomach. What kind of a father would congratulate someone for almost getting his son killed? I gulped. I could almost picture Nathan Ivashkov dancing on Adrian's grave. He cared more about his stupid company than he ever would for his son. This was why he hired me for the job, he never intended for me to win his son the case, he figured I would make a slender case and then his son would go to jail for a crime he didn't commit. His company's stocks wouldn't go down, they would rise up in the form of pity. I suppressed my anger for the sake of Jill, who was still in the room and staring at me pleadingly. When I could finally get my mind off how despicable a person this man was, I managed to speak up. "I appreciate it, sir - and I say this with the utmost respect, but I do not need your help. I have been doing some soul searching and I have come to a conclusion that I do not want to be a lawyer anymore. In fact, I will be phoning my superiors and resigning immediately."

Nathan Ivashkov simply blinked at me, his eyes as stone cold and incessant as ever. "I... I do not comprehend what you are saying to me, Miss Sage. The stars have aligned for you - and I made that happen. Now you are telling me that you do not want any of it?" I nodded, he could be as scary as he wanted, I was a persistent person. I could take it. "That is exactly what I am saying." He nodded slowly, looking like he was unable to fathom my words for the first few seconds. "Very well, then. Just remember that this is a once in a lifetime chance you are giving up." I nodded again. "I do, sir." He started to stand up, I could tell he was trying to repress his awe. "Come on, Jill. We must leave immediately." Jill frowned, I met her eyes. I flashed her a small smile that conveyed everything that had to be said. "Okay." Jill murmured, her eyes sparkled playfully. I took a step back as Mr. Ivashkov walked out the door, but he paused by it for a second and said, "You are making a mistake."

I didn't respond, so he stomped out. As Jill followed him out, she turned around for just a fraction of a second and gave me a large, proud smile. I returned it as she scurried after him. As I shut the door behind me and heard their footsteps echoing down the hallway and eventually fade out I couldn't help but smile to myself.

I'd just insulted Nathan Ivashkov and I'd gotten away with it.

xxxxx

Julia ran over to me and yanked me into a big bear hug.

It was adorable, but I was afraid she was crushing my ribs. Who knew a girl her size could have arms made of steel? She fixed me with a concerned look as soon as she let go.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I smiled at her, hoping it looked reassuring. "Yes."

She sighed, breaking into a giddy grin. "Good! Because to be honest, I can't hide my enthusiasm! The Horny Cyclops is in jail and all is right in the world!" She exclaimed. We stood in Palm Harbour near Wall Springs Park. It was a beautiful afternoon, the sun shone lazily in the cloudless azure sky, the laughter of happy, playful children encircled us, the lake facing us was crystal clear and reflected the sky. It sparkled in the sunlight like a million glistening diamonds. The air was fresh and smelt a bit like cotton candy and popcorn. It was a good day, a happy day. Adrian was getting released from the hospital today - I had used Julia as an excuse to get to stay here for a bit longer when it came to my superiors, who I had planned on phoning instantly after Nathan Ivashkov had left that day and resigning but I'd eventually not built up the guts to do it. She dragged me along, her heels clanking against the hardwood plank as she lead us to the frozen yogurt shop to our left. "What about Adrian?" Her voice was softer now, "How is he doing?" I hadn't told her yet, that he was being released from the hospital, but I decided that she had given me some helpful advice along the way, and she was my friend; thus she deserved to know.

"He's being released today, I'm going to go pick him up in the evening." I explained. Julia arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow. "That's happy news," I nodded. "So why do you sound like your cat just died?" I sighed, breathing in the salty air as we walked through the double doors of the yogurt shop. We stood in a line to order.

"It's because I don't know what's going to happen now, Julia. And... And I'm afraid. For him. For us... The only reason I'm still in Palm Springs is because I told Donna that I wanted to spend some time with a long lost friend, which is you." I bit my lip. "Adrian and I... We can't be together anymore. My father has left me about twelve phone calls, and I haven't responded once. I can't ignore him forever, I have to pick up and face him eventually." Julia simply nodded, ordered her yogurt, and then dragged me with her to a round table by the window. We sat down and she took a languid bite of her strawberry swirl, like she was savoring every bit of it. I frowned and she grinned, her tongue was turning a funny shade of pink. "You're right. You can't ignore him forever, so go ahead, call him back - and give him a piece of your mind."

I froze, staring at her like she had gone insane. Which she probably had. "What? No, I can't do that." I protested.

"Why not?" She simply shrugged casually. "Sydney, it's written all over you, it's super clear that you're in love with this guy. I'm very good at reading people, and you're name might as well be Captain Obvious." I just gritted my teeth. "Where are you going with this?"

"What I'm trying to say is," she took another bite. "Love is always worth the risk. You are supposed to fight for it. I don't know Adrian very well except for whatever I've read about the guy in the tabloids, but from the way you describe it - he's the one for you. I mean, who else could tolerate your uptight outfits and your snooty do-gooder instinct?" I glared at her, "Hey! I think you're going off track here!" _And I am so not snooty._

"Look, I just... I think what you two have must be real special. Like, Romeo and Juliet, fairytale special. Everyone isn't as lucky as you two are, you have something amazing in the making right now. Do you really want to let it all go for a bunch of bigoted lawyers?"

"Yes." I simply stated, although my heart seemed to protest with a pang.

"No," Julia said sharply. "You will regret it if you do, and Sydney - there's so much else you could do. You're smart and you're gorgeous, you could be anything you want. So maybe you don't make your father happy, maybe you don't live up to Stanton's hopes, you don't exist to please them or the world. Do what will really make you happy and benefit you in the long run, it's too late for me but it's just the beginning for you. Go for it."

Her words hit me too close to home, and something inside me was warring. I could tell however, the part of my brain that agreed with her was winning. She was right. After all, how long was I going to sit and take my father's insults one after the other? For how long was I going to live by society's constraints and rules? I wasn't normal, I had never been normal - I had been simply deluding myself. Meeting Adrian had changed things in a positive way, I wasn't going to let that go to waste.

I felt a smile spread across my face and she slid my phone across the table.

"I believe you have a phone call to make."

xxxxx

"Hello, Sydney? Where have you been? I am thoroughly disappointed in you. Where has all of this irrational behaviour sprung from? Since when do you ignore my phone calls?" I tuned out the insults that came afterwards and politely waited for him to finish talking.

"Is it my turn to speak yet?" I mocked and I could practically hear the smoke coming out of my father's ears. "Precision of language, young lady. You are addressing your father." I nodded, "See I'm not too sure about that - after all, when have you ever treated me like a daughter?"

The voice on the other line went silent for a minute, like he was flabbergasted. Good.

"I've always done what I have been told; I nodded along every step of the way, no matter what I wanted, but it wasn't because I respected you, _sir _\- it was because I was afraid of you. The thing is, I'm not afraid of you anymore. I've always been a project for you, another thing to tick off on your to-do list. And I played it your way, all of my life I did but it's time I take a stand and do something for me." I was surprised at the vehemence in my voice, I could feel that this confrontation had been long overdue.

"Sydney Katherine Sage, you will not talk back to me you-"

I cut him off.

"Oh give me a break, father. We both know that I've never been like you. I... I'm not aiming to disrespect you; even if it may seem like it. I'm simply anguished at the way I have been treated and will not stand for it any longer. So I am going to admit something to you today, I became a lawyer because you wanted me to; but I think that there is much in the world that I have yet to explore." I felt like my father was holding his breath on the other line as I added,  
"So what I am trying to tell you is - I quit."

"Sydney -"

"And sir?" I muttered. "Yes?" I thought I heard apprehension in his voice. Huh. That was new.

"I want you to ask Zoe to call me tonight. I reckon we have much to discuss."

Before he could respond, I cut the call. And I would be lying if I told you it didn't feel the slightest bit satisfying.

xxxxx

"I can't believe I missed it," Adrian stated, shaking his head in disbelief.

I grinned. We were walking side by side down the same road we had taken the day we were returning from interviewing those suspects. The wind was calm and the air was crisp, just like it had been that day. There was a homely feeling to the weather today however, the autumn leaves still hung loosely on the trees. Tinted green, crimson, maroon and yellowish brown. They looked beautiful yet imperfect, kind of like the man who was walking next to me.

"It was strangely earned, you know? I... I never thought in a million years that I would be able to speak to my father in such a way. But I did and the most shocking part of it all is that it worked. I had a long talk with Zoe on the phone last night, I think I even got her a step closer to humanity. Hopefully she won't turn into my father's prodigy after all."

Adrian smirked. "Good to know. Badass Sydney is the one that turns me on the most, if only I'd been there to hear you lash out on him." I laughed, hitting him lightly in the chest. "You have no idea," I muttered, thinking about how I'd managed to get Nathan Ivashkov as well as Jared Sage both off my back.

"Any news on Mark?" Adrian asked, and I nodded, thinking back on the idiot that had been a puppet in Foster and Lilah's schemes. "He skipped town, last I heard." Adrian shook his head, cracking his knuckles. "It's like he is this giant jackass piñata, begging for someone to beat the candy outta him. Hey, I'm recovering - maybe I should be the one to do the honors."

I shrugged, "Let him be. He was a coward; not a murderer."

Adrian nodded, his green eyes narrowing. "If you dig deep enough, everyone's a sinner."

"Hey," I said as I stopped walking and placed a hand on his cheek. He was recovering remarkably well, most of the bruises on his face were practically non-existent. His arm was not in a cast anymore and he didn't even have to wear that pesky bandage across his forehead. Life was returning to his features - his eyes still gleamed like an endless field of emerald, full of radiance and magic and mysterious left untold. His hear was mussed, I had a feeling he had run out of hair gel, I didn't remind him he needed it, I think they looked spectacular when left to their imperfections. I raked a hand through his hair, they were soft to the touch. The bags under his eyes weren't as prominent as they had been the days before. His skin was smooth and milky pale again.

"We're all monsters. We've all done terrible things, sometimes to each other. It's a human tendency to sometimes stray from the right path. We've both made mistakes in these past few days but I wouldn't give them up for the world." I stated. "Sage," he whispered. I shushed him before going on,

"And I guess what I'm trying to say in my own convoluted way is that you can rely on me from now on, no matter what I'm going to be there besides you, we'll get through this," I continued and offered up a small smile, "I love you."

I didn't think I'd ever be able to adequately describe the pure happiness that seemed to envelope Adrian's expression in that moment. It was a mix of excitement, of fear, and victory all rolled into one that seemed to just spread all over his face, through his body, and he pulled me to him, kissing me as though he would never get enough of me. I wrapped my arms around him, returning the kiss just as deeply and letting him hold me tighter against him. I laughed as we broke apart, both of us smiling as our foreheads touched.

"Say it again." He implored, his expression growing serious.

"I love you," I confirmed, pressing a kiss against his jaw. He growled, nuzzling my neck; I basked in the strange tingling sensation. "I love you."

"I guess I was right after all," Adrian announced, pulling back; hands cupping my face.

"The center will hold." He said, before devouring my mouth again.

His kisses seemed to burn against my skin; igniting a fire within me that I didn't know had been there all along, eversince we had first brushed against each other. We kissed for a long time, our kisses deepened, the need inside me intensified. Forever, they seemed to echo. Mine, they seemed to echo.

I kissed him back as hard as I could, wanting him to know that my own touches reciprocated those meanings. "Where do we go from here?" I asked, looking up at him through strands of hair. "Wherever we feel like. I still think Israel's a viable option."

I laughed, tilting my head back. Maybe we didn't know what the future held. Maybe there would be as many ups as there were downs, there would be violent delights, and violent ends, but walking with Adrian through the pacifying yet lovely streets of Palm Springs, I couldn't help but think I finally wasn't scared of the future or what it meant anymore. I was looking forward to it, anticipating what we might face next, where the road might lead. It wouldn't be perfect, nothing ever was. There would be fights and hardships, probably even tears along the way. But there would be good moments too, and maybe it was naive of me, but I did think that our love for each other would get us through our darkest moments.

It was time to start a new journey, a new chapter in my life. I had no idea where it would lead, and maybe I didn't have my father anymore, maybe I didn't have a stable career to lean on to, but I had other things. I had Julia, and Jill, I had Zoe and my mother.

I had Adrian.

And I thought that made me luckier than countless others.

"What's going on in that ingenious head of yours, Sage?" Adrian asked, puzzled.

"I was just thinking... If we had to change our names. What would we call ourselves?"

"I'd still like to be called Jet Steele," He suggested.

"I'm immune to his charms, you know," I teased. He nodded, "I think Jet Steele lost his charms when he fell for you. I think you ought to be punished for such a crime."

I rolled my eyes, not at all surprised by his joke. "Just shut up and kiss me."

And he did.

The world didn't stop spinning, there was no musical swell like in the movies, maybe Julia had been wrong about the fairytale kind of love after all, but it was enough just to be there standing together; listening to the heartbeat of Palm Springs and knowing that we had both found someone we could rely on, someone we would love forever. And wasn't that something for a boy who thought he wasn't good enough and a girl who had never learnt to love?

xxx The End xxx

* * *

**A/N: So right, this is the end. I know it's not like some big spectacular ending or anything, but this is where it felt like it should end. Adrian and Sydney together, ready to take on new chapters in their lives together. Two people so different yet so similar, there is something alluring about this couple; which is why I felt the need to write fanfiction about them. They have both been through so many ups and downs in their lives, but they come out stronger, a little different and together.**

**Thank you guys so much for reading this story, it has been a long journey and I am proud of it. I know this never got *that* much attention, but 160 reviews is still an accomplishment to me; and it means a whole lot.**

**Just a notice, I am going to continue writing, since I have one more Sydrian fanfiction that is currently a work in progress but I will be posting it, so if you guys like my writing, I would love if you kept following me and this story so that you will be notified when I update. I'm planning on posting a sneek peek of the other Sydrian story I've got going on under this one itself. The best part is, I am going to be telling this story from both Adrian and Sydney's POV, unlike this one - which I took mostly in Sydney's POV. Anyway, a sneekpeek of a new story will be up soon. So feel free to check that out if you like :)**

**And I ask you one last time, please do review on this last chapter and tell me what you thought of it and the story over all. Your input really keeps me going, it motivates me through the evil grasp of writer's block and makes me smile.**

**That's all, folks. Thank you again, and I hope you enjoyed reading this crazy story that I put both my heart and soul into.**

**xxx**


	29. Story Update & Short Sneak Peak

**A/N: Hello Dearies,**

**As promised, here is the last update of this story. I wanted to give you all a sneak peak of my new Sydrian story, keeping in mind that if you guys do like it - you can keep following me so that you will be updated when I post this new story. I've finished writing approximately ten chapters, but there's more to go on. Updates may be very occasional, but it's still a work in progress, so you will have to bear with me. I can only hope that the wait will be worth it. This story is not going to be A/H, it takes off from where the Indigo Spell ends - but with a slight change. What if Sydney had decided to go with Marcus to Mexico, instead of turning back to stay in Palm Springs with Adrian and the gang? It goes a bit A/U from there, of course. I don't want to give anything away, which is why this little prologue/sneak preview is so very vague and it might even be confusing - but it's indispensable to the story. This story will be told in both Adrian and Sydney's POVS; with a supernatural premise; it will also be a lot darker than Violent Delights... I don't know what you will think about that, only time and updates will tell, I guess! Do leave a review if you plan on reading it!**

**I do hope you will read it, I want you to like this story as much as some of you like 'Violent Delights, Violent Ends'**

**By the way, the preliminary title will be 'When the Darkness Comes', but I still might change that...**

**P.S Short Note: I want to apologize for the first few chapters of VDVE, I know the formatting wasn't very good, I was still getting a hang of this website and my own gist of this couple back then. I assure you that this will not be the case with the new story. :)**

**xx**

**Very small sneak peak... Told from Sydney's POV. Can you make any guesses as to where this story is going to lead?**

* * *

His twinkling emerald eyes were like a lush oasis.

They were endless, alluring and so full of life. Perhaps if I looked close enough I would see my reflection in them. I could drown myself in those eyes forever, it would be the closest thing to paradise. He blinked, and I pulled myself out of his entrancement. We were sitting cross-legged, facing each other, palm in palm. His touch was soft, warm and inviting. It felt like home.

There was a curve to his lips, like he was just about to break into a mischievous grin. He looked like he was sharing a joke with himself, one that only he understood. It left the rest of the world confused; but he didn't care, he didn't think anyone would understand it anyway. I waited for him to smile; but he didn't. Something flashed in his pretty eyes; but I couldn't grasp what it was. It was gone in a millisecond.

"What's happening?" I questioned, a little puzzled now. Something felt wrong… Everything was extremely quiet. _Too _quiet. There was nothing here except for the two of us. Was this heaven? Is this what heaven felt like? He shook his head, some of his messy brown hair falling over his eyes, I wanted to touch them, push them away. He didn't let me.

"It's all about to change, Sage. It's about to change for the both of us."

His voice was so distant that it scared me, and panic surged through me. Why did he sound so far away? He was sitting so close to me, we were connected. He wasn't allowed to sound so… surreal and obscure.

"Come closer to me," I spoke softly, "You're too far away."

He finally smiled, but the smile was sad and wistful.

"I wish I could, but you didn't let me."

What was he saying? I didn't understand a word. All I knew was that now I was worried. Suddenly, everything started to tremble, a tumult shaking the ground beneath us. The rumbling seemed to echo inside of my chest.

"It's begun." Adrian's voice was only a soft whisper in the void.

"What? What's begun?" Adrian didn't look at me, his eyes were distant. "The realms of magic, both black and white, are tumbling inside and out. Change is almost here, and its going to swallow us whole."

I frowned, my throat beginning to dry up. His image started to flicker like a candle flame in the wind, I extended an arm and tried to reach out to him. "Grab my hand!" I exclaimed, but Adrian just stared at me.

Those gorgeous green eyes suddenly lost all their charm; now they were empty, emotionless. His eyes stared off into nothingness; and I wanted to scream. He didn't move a muscle, "Adrian!" I cried out as loudly as I could but it was futile.

The dead couldn't hear me.

Blood. It was everywhere. The dark red liquid appeared out of nowhere and drenched his  
white clothes in their demonic essence. I was aware that I was screaming but I wasn't  
able to hear my own voice. I just kept calling out to him.

Suddenly, a brilliant white light flashed out of nowhere and the scene shifted. We were in bed, wrapped in red blankets on red bed sheets. His lips, they were red too. We were kissing, his lips were warm and tasted like rose petals.

It was a blistering kiss that burned away the intolerable pressure that had been building up inside of both of us. The kiss hurt, it was hungry and unsatisfied. We devoured each other like animals. It was intense, passionate and… electrifying.

I paused to take a few long, much needed breaths. Adrian's silhouette flickered and  
for a second, his eyes were wide open, staring off into space again. He was just a  
lifeless body soaked in red, about a second later, he was Adrian again. His lips parted to trail kisses down my neck but I stood up, pushing him away and wrapping the red covers over my naked body.

"What's happening?" I repeated, "I don't understand."

Adrian spoke again, but the voice enunciated wasn't his own. It was deep and echoed throughout the room, "It's coming, and when it does… Everything will change." 

* * *

**Yes.. I know! Very cryptic. I am pretty sure this is the only piece that will most likely remain unchanged, and I didn't want to give any of the major drama away yet. Plus, this is going to be the prologue of the story. ;)**

**Have a great week! Do review.**

xxx


End file.
